Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) on Wednesday called for the Pentagon to create a directed energy weapons demonstration fund that would be used exclusively for high energy laser and high power microwave prototyping and demonstrations.
Heinrich, Senate Armed Services Committee emerging threats and capabilities ranking member, said the Pentagon needs to invest far more in directed energy if it truly intends to develop a real third offset strategy that will separate the United States technologically from its adversaries. He said establishing such a fund would allow the military to develop tactics, techniques and procedures for these weapon systems. 
Heinrich also called for designating a senior Defense Department official entrusted with accelerating the transition of directed energy systems.
“We cannot keep waiting to test prototypes or to validate new weapon systems that are sitting in labs while our adversaries are testing relentlessly,” Heinrich said at directed energy conference in Washington sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton [BAH].
Heinrich is an advocate of directed energy weapons. He said he sent Defense Secretary James Mattis a letter on his first day on the job urging him, and other DoD officials, to provide sufficient resources to accelerate the development of proven systems toward acquisition programs of record.