Major General Heather Pringle
Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory
Heather L. Pringle received her commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy where she earned a degree in Human Factors. She earned a Master of Arts in Engineering Psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In addition, she has graduated from other advanced educational opportunities afforded to her by the military.
She served as the commander of the 555th International Materiel Squadron promoting international relationships, interoperable capabilities, and sustained engagement with partners in the Middle East and Asia. She served in Afghanistan as the Political Advisor’s Staff Director for the International Security Assistance Forces.
She was an executive officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff, and she served as the Director of Strategic Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. Since June 2020, Pringle has been Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, AFMC, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
In the News…
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory released a report earlier this month that included an animated video revealing a new weapon that eliminates hundreds of drones at one time. The Tactical High Power Operational Responder (HOR) uses a beam of energy to scramble the electronics inside hundreds of drones at once.
“This unique system allows base defense forces to stop [unmanned aerial system] attacks at long range before they threaten critical infrastructure,” the report states.
The Air Force stated that increasingly sophisticated drones are becoming more threatening in the hands of enemy militaries as attacks and surveillance capabilities grow. The HOR is more effective than small arms and more efficient than heavy arms, which are currently used against drones.
When HOR identifies a target, it shoots a beam of microwaves in less than a second, providing an instant effect on the drones.
