A Russian military official has claimed that they have developed a ‘microwave gun’.

The high-frequency weapon can supposedly disable an unmanned drone and even a missile from up to six miles (10km) away.

The weapon apparently deactivates the radios of UAVs and warheads, causing them to lose control.

Russia’s United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation is developing the weapon. It will be revealed at the Army-2015 show in Moscow this week. The gun supposedly disables the radio of drones (stock image of an MQ-9 Reaper shown) and missiles. It has a range of 6 miles (10km) but no other specifications were given

Designed for the surface-to-air BUK missile system, the gun was developed by Russia’s United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation (UIMC).

Informally named the ‘microwave gun’, it will be unveiled as part of the Russian Defense Ministry’s Army-2015 international event in Moscow in the coming days.

Aside from the six-mile (10km) range, the gun can also apparently operate in a ‘defense perimeter’ of 360 degrees.

THE US NAVY’S LASER GUN While Russia might boast its microwave gun capabilities, last month the US Navy unveiled a roof-mounted laser that can shoot down drones. The Ground-Based Air Defense Directed Energy On-the-Move programme, commonly referred to as GBAD, allows controllers to simply drive the weapon to a target. Once drones are spotted, it can them shoot them out of the sky with a high powered laser. The GBAD system is being designed for use on light tactical vehicles such as the Humvee and Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Advertisement

It would be used on missile systems on the ground, to target unmanned planes in the air.

By directing high-frequency microwaves towards a target, it is theoretically possibly to destroy unprotected electronics.

The gun would use a 'reflector antenna' to focus the microwaves created by a generator.

An unknown 'transmission system' would fire the beams towards their target.

No other technical specifications have been given, so it’s unclear exactly how the weapon would work.

‘The new system is equipped with a high-power relativistic generator and reflector antenna, management and control system, and a transmission system which is fixed on the chassis of BUK surface-to-air missile systems,’ a UIMC spokesperson told Sputnik News.

‘When mounted on a special platform, the “microwave gun” is capable of ensuring perimeter defense at 360 degrees.’

While Russia might boast about its microwave gun capabilities, last month the US Navy unveiled a roof-mounted laser that can shoot down drones. The Ground-Based Air Defense Directed Energy On-the-Move programme (illustrated) allows controllers to simply drive the weapon to a target and fire

This type of weapon is known as a directed-energy weapon (DEW), and several have been developed before.

The weapons focus on emitting highly focused energy to a target in order to damage it. Aside from microwaves, this can also include radio waves, lasers and even sound waves.

The microwave gun is evidence of plans by Russia to modernise its armed forces, though, according to Business Insider.