Non-Lethal Electromagnetic Strike: Frameworks for Deploying HPM Directed-Energy Weapons

High-power microwave (HPM) directed-energy weapons can impose rapid, reversible disruption on electronic systems without kinetic effects or explosive debris. They therefore fill an operational gap between traditional electronic warfare and lethal fires, providing commanders with a calibrated response for grey-zone contests, urban operations, and humanitarian contingencies. Existing literature emphasises platform technology and strategic promise, yet no concise framework links legal thresholds, readiness levels, and mission profiles for explicitly non-lethal HPM strike. This paper (i) maps doctrinal constraints that separate soft-kill from hard-kill effects; (ii) proposes a four-stage Deployment Readiness Matrix tying technology maturity to mission sets; (iii) illustrates the framework with the 2024 RTX CHIMERA ground demonstration; and (iv) identifies verification, attribution, and coalition-interoperability gaps that must be closed before large-scale fielding. By focusing on policy-aligned deployment stages, the work offers planners a practical reference for integrating reversible electromagnetic strike into multi-domain operations.