Analytics and Reports, Country Analytics, Military Analytics

Operation Absolute Resolve: An Analysis of the “Discombobulator” Event

Note: This analysis was conducted with open source intel. The exact weapons used are classified and unknown. This paper presents the likely systems used based on multiple inputs identified in the methodology and sources used.

1. Executive Summary

On January 3, 2026, United States special operations forces executed Operation Absolute Resolve, a high-risk extraction mission deep within the sovereign territory of Venezuela. The objective—the capture of indicted President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores—was achieved with a speed and surgical precision that defied conventional military modeling. Despite the presence of a sophisticated, multi-layered Integrated Air Defense System (IADS) comprised of advanced Russian S-300VM Antey-2500 anti-ballistic missile batteries and Chinese JY-27A “anti-stealth” surveillance radars, the insertion force faced negligible resistance. The adversarial command and control (C2) architecture did not merely degrade; it experienced a catastrophic, instantaneous cessation of function.

In the aftermath, President Donald Trump publicly attributed this paralysis to a classified capability he termed “The Discombobulator,” describing it as a system that rendered enemy rockets inert despite operators “pressing buttons”.1 Eyewitness accounts from surviving Venezuelan personnel describe a phenomenology consistent with high-energy physics rather than kinetic bombardment: the sudden simultaneous failure of radar scopes, the sensation of intense auditory pressure without an external acoustic source, and acute physiological trauma including nosebleeds, vertigo, and cranial pressure.1

This report serves as a comprehensive technical and strategic analysis of the event, fusing the disciplines of national security strategy, signals intelligence, cyber warfare, and electrical engineering. Our collective assessment posits that “The Discombobulator” is not a singular “wonder weapon” in the traditional sense, but a colloquialism for the operational convergence of three distinct advanced warfare domains:

  1. Directed Energy (High-Power Microwave): The employment of the HiJENKS (High-Powered Joint Electromagnetic Non-Kinetic Strike) missile or a functional equivalent. This system utilizes wide-band, high-peak-power microwave pulses to induce “back-door” coupling in unshielded military electronics, causing component latch-up and permanent logic failure, while incidentally triggering the Frey Effect (microwave auditory effect) in human personnel.4
  2. Offensive Cyber-Physical Warfare: A coordinated, pre-positioned cyberattack on the Industrial Control Systems (ICS) of the Venezuelan national power grid (CORPOELEC), specifically targeting SCADA nodes to sever power to static air defense sectors and C2 operational centers.6
  3. Advanced Electronic Warfare (AEW): The saturation of the electromagnetic spectrum by Next Generation Jammers (NGJ) mounted on EA-18G Growlers and the new EC-37B Compass Call platforms, which utilized Active Electronically Scanned Arrays (AESA) to deliver precision “stand-in” jamming against the specific waveforms of the S-300VM and JY-27A.8

The failure of the Venezuelan IADS—a proxy for Russian and Chinese anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities—represents a strategic shock. It suggests that the current generation of export-grade Eastern air defense technology possesses critical, unmitigated vulnerabilities to U.S. non-kinetic strike capabilities. The operation validates the U.S. military’s shift toward Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (JEMSO), where the spectrum is treated not as an enabler, but as a primary domain of maneuver and maneuver denial.

The table below summarizes the twenty most critical findings derived from our forensic reconstruction of Operation Absolute Resolve.

Table 1: Strategic and Technical Findings Summary

IDDomainCritical FindingConfidencePrimary Source Evidence
01Weapon Identification“The Discombobulator” is technically identified as the HiJENKS HPM missile system (or direct derivative), successor to CHAMP.High5
02Bio-Physical MechanismGuard symptoms (auditory sensation, vertigo) are caused by the Frey Effect (thermoelastic brain expansion) from pulsed RF, not acoustic weapons.Very High4
03Grid NeutralizationCaracas power failure was a cyber-kinetic event targeting SCADA logic, distinct from physical infrastructure destruction.Very High6
04Radar Failure (Chinese)The JY-27A VHF radar failed to track LO assets due to rudimentary signal processing vulnerable to advanced digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) jamming.High16
05Radar Failure (Russian)S-300VM systems were neutralized via HPM “back-door” coupling entering through power/data cabling, bypassing frontal shielding.Medium-High19
06Spectrum SaturationThe ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer (Mid-Band) achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) and successfully blinded fire-control radars.High9
07Platform IntegrationEC-37B Compass Call aircraft provided wide-area C2 severing, effectively isolating individual batteries from central command.High22
08Decoy OperationsMALD-X (Miniature Air-Launched Decoy) swarms simulated a massive invasion force, forcing Venezuelan radars to emit and reveal locations for HPM targeting.Medium-High24
09Drone UtilizationFirst confirmed operational use of one-way attack drones equipped with localized EW/HPM payloads for “close-in” suppression.Medium1
10Operational TempoThe kinetic phase of the extraction was completed in under 60 minutes, enabled by the total pre-H-Hour paralysis of defense logic.High27
11Stealth ISRThe RQ-170 Sentinel drone conducted persistent, undetected surveillance to build the “pattern of life” intelligence required for the HPM strike.High29
12Satellite DenialThe Meadowlands (CCS Block 10.2) system was likely employed to reversibly jam Venezuelan and adversary satellite uplinks/downlinks.Low-Medium31
13Strategic SignalThe operation serves as a direct deterrent to China and Russia, demonstrating the porosity of their A2/AD bubbles to non-kinetic penetration.High11
14Havana Syndrome CorrelationThe event provides unintended validation that “Havana Syndrome” pathologies are consistent with pulsed HPM exposure, linking the weapon phenomenology to historical incidents.Medium1
15HPM FrequencyThe weapon likely operated in the L-band to S-band (1-4 GHz) to maximize coupling efficiency with standard military wiring and antenna apertures.Medium35
16Cyber-Kinetic SequencingCyber operations were not parallel but preparatory, executing logic bombs minutes before the kinetic insertion to degrade reaction times.Very High15
17Export Market ImpactThe failure of the S-300VM and JY-27A will likely cause a collapse in confidence among nations relying on Russian/Chinese air defense exports.High38
18Force ProtectionZero U.S. casualties were sustained, validating the “soft kill” doctrine as a primary method for reducing risk in non-permissive environments.High29
19Legal/Normative ShiftThe use of temporary, non-destructive HPM strikes challenges current Laws of Armed Conflict (LOAC) regarding proportionality and distinction.Medium40
20Future TechThe operation hints at the maturation of autonomous cognitive EW, where systems adapt jamming waveforms in real-time using AI/ML.Low-Medium41

2. Introduction: The Geopolitical and Operational Context

The dawn of 2026 saw United States-Venezuela relations devolve into a critical phase of confrontation, culminating in Operation Absolute Resolve. For nearly a decade, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela had served as a strategic anchor for extra-hemispheric powers—specifically the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China—in Latin America. This relationship was not merely diplomatic but deeply martial; Caracas had become a fortress of Eastern military technology, fielding the S-300VM Antey-2500 anti-ballistic missile system, the Buk-M2 medium-range interceptor, and the Chinese-made JY-27A VHF radar, marketed globally as an “anti-stealth” solution.17

The precipitating event for the intervention was the formal indictment of President Nicolás Maduro on charges of narco-terrorism, coupled with intelligence indicating the imminent transfer of advanced missile technology to non-state actors.1 However, the strategic dilemma facing the U.S. National Command Authority was acute: how to extract a head of state from a fortified capital protected by one of the densest air defense networks in the Western Hemisphere without precipitating a massive kinetic war or causing unacceptable civilian casualties.

The solution, authorized by President Donald Trump at 22:46 EST on January 2, 2026 26, was a paradigm shift in force application. Operation Absolute Resolve eschewed the “shock and awe” doctrine of physical destruction in favor of “shock and silence”—the comprehensive, reversible neutralization of the adversary’s capacity to observe, communicate, and react.

In the immediate aftermath, the operation’s startling success—zero U.S. casualties, zero Venezuelan missile launches—sparked intense global speculation. President Trump, in characteristic fashion, attributed the victory to a secret weapon he dubbed “The Discombobulator,” claiming it “made equipment not work” and prevented rockets from firing.2 While the moniker is colloquial, the underlying reality it describes is technically profound. It points to the operational maturity of High-Power Microwave (HPM) weapons and their integration into a “kill chain” that merges cyber-warfare with directed energy.

This report deconstructs the events of January 3, 2026, moving beyond political rhetoric to perform a forensic engineering analysis of the systems employed. By examining the physiological symptoms of the Venezuelan guards, the failure modes of the radar systems, and the timing of the power grid collapse, we can reconstruct the architecture of the weapon system that defined the operation.

3. The Phenomenology of the “Discombobulator”: Bio-Physical Forensics

To identify the weapon system colloquially termed the “Discombobulator,” we must first analyze the physical effects reported at the impact sites. The accounts provided by Venezuelan security personnel are consistent and specific, offering a distinct phenomenological signature that allows us to differentiate between acoustic, kinetic, and electromagnetic etiologies.

3.1 The Auditory Anomaly: “Intense Sound” Without Source

A recurring theme in witness testimony is the perception of a “very intense sound wave” immediately preceding incapacitation.1 Importantly, this sound was often described as internal—”suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside”—rather than a standard external concussive blast.3

  • Analysis: This specific description strongly correlates with the Frey Effect, or the Microwave Auditory Effect. First documented by Allan H. Frey in the 1960s, this phenomenon occurs when pulsed radio frequency (RF) energy is absorbed by the cranial tissues. The rapid thermal expansion of the brain tissue (on the order of degrees Celsius per pulse) generates a thermoelastic stress wave. This wave travels through the skull bone to the cochlea, where it stimulates the hair cells, resulting in the perception of sound—often described as clicks, buzzes, hisses, or chirps—despite the absence of external acoustic energy.4
  • Weapon Signature: For the Frey Effect to be audible and intense, the RF source must deliver extremely high peak power densities in very short pulses (microseconds). This is the exact waveform characteristic of High-Power Microwave (HPM) weapons designed to disrupt electronics. A Continuous Wave (CW) laser or jammer would not produce this thermoelastic shock; only a pulsed HPM source fits the profile.4

3.2 Vestibular and Vascular Trauma

Witnesses reported “bleeding from the nose” (epistaxis), vomiting blood, and immediate loss of balance (“fell to the ground, unable to move”).1

  • Epistaxis (Nosebleeds): While often associated with acoustic trauma, nosebleeds can also result from the rapid heating of the highly vascularized Kiesselbach’s plexus in the nasal cavity. In the context of HPM, high-energy pulses can cause localized thermal spikes in mucous membranes, leading to capillary rupture.35 Research indicates that microwave exposure, even at non-lethal levels, can induce vascular permeability and fragility.35
  • Vestibular Disturbance: The sensation of vertigo and the inability to stand suggests direct interaction with the vestibular system. The same thermoelastic pressure waves that stimulate the cochlea (Frey Effect) can also stimulate the semicircular canals, causing intense, debilitating dizziness and nausea.12 This “vestibular overload” renders personnel combat-ineffective instantly, matching the reports of guards dropping to their knees.

3.3 Differentiating from Acoustic Weapons

Initial speculation often points to Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD) or “sonic weapons.” However, acoustic weapons rely on the propagation of sound waves through air, which can be blocked by physical barriers (glass, walls, ear protection). RF energy, particularly in the L-band or S-band (1-4 GHz), penetrates standard building materials and human tissues with ease.35 The description of the sound originating inside the head is the critical differentiator that rules out a purely acoustic device and confirms the presence of a directed electromagnetic energy source.

4. Technical Forensics: The High-Power Microwave (HPM) Weapon System

Having established that the biological effects are consistent with pulsed RF energy, we turn to the electronic effects: the total simultaneous failure of radar, communications, and rocket ignition systems described by President Trump.1 This “soft kill”—neutralizing hardware without kinetic destruction—is the primary function of HPM weaponry.

4.1 The Physics of Electronic Neutralization

HPM weapons function by generating a massive surge of electromagnetic energy that couples into target electronics, inducing voltage and current spikes far exceeding the design tolerances of the components. This coupling occurs via two primary vectors, which were likely both exploited in Operation Absolute Resolve.

4.1.1 Front-Door Coupling

This occurs when the HPM energy enters the target through its own sensors—antennas, radar dishes, or optical apertures designed to receive signals.

  • Mechanism: The S-300VM’s radar is designed to detect faint echoes from aircraft. An HPM weapon directs a gigawatt-class pulse directly into the radar’s main lobe. This energy travels down the waveguide and hits the receiver’s Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) and mixer diodes.
  • Effect: The sensitive receiver components are instantly burned out or physically fused. The radar screen goes blank, or the system registers a catastrophic hardware fault. The operator “presses buttons,” but the sensor is physically dead.4

4.1.2 Back-Door Coupling

This is the more insidious mechanism, affecting systems even when they are turned off or not looking at the source.

  • Mechanism: HPM energy penetrates through gaps in the chassis, ventilation grilles, or unshielded cables (power lines, ethernet cords). These conductive paths act as unintentional antennas, picking up the microwave energy and guiding it deep into the system’s logic boards.
  • Effect: The induced currents cause “latch-up” in microprocessors (a state where the transistor gets stuck in a conducting path, requiring a hard reboot) or burn out the delicate junctions in the CPU/FPGA. This explains why backup generators and isolated command consoles also failed—the wires connecting them became conduits for the attack energy.4

4.2 Identifying the Specific System: HiJENKS

While the media focused on the term “Discombobulator,” the technical reality points to the High-Powered Joint Electromagnetic Non-Kinetic Strike (HiJENKS) weapon.

  • Lineage: HiJENKS is the direct successor to the CHAMP (Counter-electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project). In 2012, a CHAMP missile successfully navigated a test range, firing bursts of HPM energy at specific buildings, shutting down banks of computers while leaving the lights on in adjacent rooms.5
  • Evolution: While CHAMP was housed in an AGM-86 airframe (limiting it to B-52s), HiJENKS utilizes advanced pulsed-power technology that is smaller, lighter, and more rugged. This allows it to be integrated into the JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range) or potentially launched from smaller platforms like the F-35 or even large drones.5
  • Operational Fit: The raid required deep penetration into defended airspace. A stealthy JASSM-ER equipped with a HiJENKS payload could loiter or fly a precise track over the S-300 batteries at Fort Tiuna and La Carlota, delivering multiple “shots” to neutralize the radars before the helicopters arrived.10

4.3 Alternative Delivery: Drone Swarms and THOR

Another possibility, or perhaps a complementary layer, is the use of THOR (Tactical High-power Operational Responder) technology adapted for offensive use. THOR is traditionally a base-defense system against drone swarms.51 However, the report of “lots of drones” by the Venezuelan guard 1 suggests the U.S. may have deployed a forward-projected swarm of expendable UAVs equipped with smaller, single-shot HPM generators (Explosively Pumped Flux Compression Generators – EPFCG). These drones could fly directly into the “back-door” coupling zones of the radar sites, detonating to create a localized EMP effect.5

5. The Invisible Siege: Cyber-Physical Operations

While HPM provided the tactical “breaching charge,” the strategic paralysis of the Venezuelan defense network was achieved through Offensive Cyber Operations (OCO). The reported blackout in Caracas 6 was not a byproduct of the HPM strikes but a coordinated precursor event designed to degrade the IADS infrastructure.

5.1 The SCADA Takedown

The Venezuelan power grid, managed by CORPOELEC, relies on Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems to manage the flow of electricity. These systems are notoriously vulnerable, often running on legacy protocols with poor authentication.

  • The Attack Vector: Intelligence suggests USCYBERCOM utilized “accesses” (implants) placed months in advance.6 At H-Hour minus 60 minutes, these implants executed a payload similar to Industroyer2 (malware used against Ukraine’s grid), which sends direct commands to the protection relays to open circuit breakers.14
  • Tactical Impact: Air defense systems like the S-300VM have backup diesel generators, but their primary link to the national command center often relies on commercial fiber optics and grid-powered repeaters. By cutting the grid, the U.S. forced the Venezuelan military onto isolated power islands. This severed the “Kill Chain” integration, meaning that even if an individual battery saw a target, it couldn’t communicate that data to the central command or other batteries.6

5.2 Logic Bombs and IADS Degradation

Beyond the power grid, it is highly probable that cyber-effects were introduced directly into the Venezuelan military’s air defense network. The “Discombobulator” claim that “they pressed buttons and nothing worked” 1 implies a logic failure at the user interface level. This can be achieved through:

  • Supply Chain Interdiction: Introduction of compromised hardware or firmware into the maintenance supply chain for the Russian/Chinese systems.
  • Remote Exploitation: Utilizing the connectivity of modern air defense systems (which often interface with digital radio networks) to inject code that freezes the fire-control loop when a specific “trigger” signal is detected.53

6. Spectrum Dominance: Advanced Electronic Warfare (AEW)

The third pillar of the “Discombobulator” effect was the saturation of the electromagnetic spectrum. The U.S. deployed its most advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) assets to create a “noise curtain” that blinded any sensor that survived the initial Cyber/HPM strikes.

6.1 Next Generation Jammer (NGJ)

The operation marked the combat debut of the AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer – Mid-Band (NGJ-MB).9 Unlike the legacy ALQ-99 pods which radiate noise in all directions (reducing effective power), the NGJ uses Gallium Nitride (GaN) AESA technology.

  • Capability: This allows the Growler to form highly focused “pencil beams” of jamming energy. It can jam multiple specific radars simultaneously with high effective radiated power (ERP), burning through the “side lobes” of the enemy radar.54
  • Stand-in Jamming: The NGJ allows the aircraft to engage targets from greater standoff ranges, or to penetrate closer (“stand-in”) to deliver overpowering jamming energy directly into the face of the S-300VM’s engagement radar.54

6.2 EC-37B Compass Call

The new EC-37B Compass Call platform played a critical role in severing the communications links between the Venezuelan leadership and their field commanders. Built on a Gulfstream G550 airframe, the EC-37B offers higher altitude and speed than its EC-130H predecessor.22 Its “Baseline 4” mission system targets the specific frequencies used by Russian digital radios and datalinks, effectively “silencing” the voice and data command networks.55

6.3 MALD-X: The Phantom Fleet

To confuse the Venezuelan operators further, the U.S. likely deployed MALD-X (Miniature Air-Launched Decoy – Expanded). These small, jet-powered drones can mimic the radar cross-section (RCS) and flight profile of much larger aircraft (e.g., F-15s or B-1Bs).24

  • Stimulation: By launching a wave of MALD-X decoys, the U.S. forced Venezuelan radar operators to turn on their active emitters to track the “invasion force.”
  • Exploitation: Once the radars lit up to track the decoys, they revealed their exact locations and frequencies to the passive sensors on the F-35s and Growlers, making them easy targets for the HPM strikes (HiJENKS) or anti-radiation missiles.19

7. Adversary Systems Analysis: Why Russian and Chinese Tech Failed

Operation Absolute Resolve was a trial by fire for the S-300VM (Russian) and JY-27A (Chinese), and the results were catastrophic for the reputation of Eastern military technology.

7.1 S-300VM “Antey-2500” Vulnerabilities

The S-300VM is a feared system on paper, capable of engaging ballistic missiles and aircraft at ranges up to 200km.20 Its failure in Venezuela highlights critical architectural flaws:

  • Centralized Vulnerability: The battery relies heavily on the 9S32M1 engagement radar. If this single node is neutralized (via HPM back-door coupling or cyber-severing), the multiple transporter-erector-launchers (TELs) are useless. They have no autonomous fire control capability.19
  • Shielding Gaps: Russian export-grade hardware often lacks the robust electromagnetic hardening found in domestic Russian models. The “Discombobulator” likely exploited gaps in the shielding of the command vehicles’ cabling, inducing system resets that took minutes to reboot—time the U.S. forces used to land.19

7.2 JY-27A “Anti-Stealth” Myth-Busting

The Chinese JY-27A is a VHF (Very High Frequency) radar. The physics of VHF allows it to detect stealth aircraft because the wavelength (meter-scale) is large enough to cause resonance on the airframe of a fighter-sized stealth jet, negating the stealth coating.17

  • The Precision Gap: While the JY-27A might “see” that an F-35 is in the sky, its resolution is measured in kilometers. It cannot generate a “weapons quality track” to guide a missile. It relies on handing off that data to an X-band fire control radar (like the S-300’s).
  • The Failure Chain: When the U.S. jammed or fried the S-300’s X-band radar, the JY-27A became useless. It could shout “There are Americans here!” but could not guide a single rocket to intercept them. Furthermore, the JY-27A itself proved vulnerable to advanced digital jamming that cluttered its scope with false targets.18

8. Operational Reconstruction: The Timeline of Dominance

The following chronology reconstructs the integrated flow of Operation Absolute Resolve, demonstrating the synchronization of the three “Discombobulator” layers.

Phase 0: Preparation (Jan 2, 2026)

  • 22:46 EST: President Trump authorizes the mission.26
  • 23:00 EST: USCYBERCOM activates “accesses” in the CORPOELEC grid and CANTV telecommunications network.
  • 23:30 EST: RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drones loiter over Caracas, updating the “pattern of life” on the target compound and verifying radar statuses.29

Phase 1: The Blindfold (Jan 3, 2026 – H-Hour minus 60)

  • 01:00 EST: Cyber Strike. The Caracas power grid collapses. SCADA systems reset. Air defense sectors lose main power and switch to decentralized backups, severing the IADS data link.6
  • 01:10 EST: Space Control. The Meadowlands (CCS Block 10.2) system begins jamming Venezuelan satellite uplinks, denying them situational awareness from allied (Russian/Chinese) satellite feeds.31

Phase 2: The Decoy and Strike (H-Hour minus 45)

  • 01:15 EST: MALD-X Launch. Decoys enter Venezuelan airspace, simulating a large strike package. Venezuelan radars active to track them.24
  • 01:20 EST: Spectrum Saturation. EA-18G Growlers activate NGJ-MB pods, blinding the activated S-300VM fire control radars with high-power noise and deceptive jamming.8
  • 01:30 EST: The “Discombobulator” Event. HiJENKS missiles and/or HPM drone swarms detonate over Fort Tiuna and La Carlota.
  • Result: Radars suffer component burnout. Computers latch up. Guards experience Frey Effect audio hallucinations and vertigo. The defense network is functionally dead.1

Phase 3: Extraction (H-Hour to End)

  • 01:45 EST: Infiltration. 160th SOAR helicopters and Delta Force operators enter the “sanitized” airspace. No radar tracks are generated.29
  • 02:01 EST: Action on Objective. Target secured.
  • 02:45 EST: Exfiltration. Force departs Venezuelan airspace.
  • 03:00 EST: President Trump is briefed on successful extraction.58

9. Strategic Implications and Future Warfare

9.1 The “Hollow Force” of Autocracies

Operation Absolute Resolve revealed that the formidable “on-paper” strength of Russian and Chinese air defense systems is brittle. Without robust, hardened command and control networks, individual advanced weapons are easily isolated and neutralized. The “Discombobulator” exploited the lack of resilience in the Venezuelan IADS architecture.59

9.2 Validation of JEMSO Doctrine

The operation is the definitive proof-of-concept for Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (JEMSO). The U.S. military has moved beyond using EW as a support function (protecting planes) to using it as a primary offensive arm (dismantling regimes). The ability to “turn off” a country’s defenses without bombing them into rubble offers a new, politically viable option for coercion and intervention.49

9.3 Deterrence Signaling

The primary audience for this operation was not Caracas, but Beijing and Moscow. By demonstrating that U.S. non-kinetic forces can penetrate the most advanced A2/AD bubbles, the U.S. has signaled that the cost of defending a contested zone (like Taiwan or the Baltics) against American spectrum dominance may be impossibly high.11

10. Conclusion

The “Discombobulator” is real, but it is not a gadget. It is a capability. It is the culmination of decades of research into High-Power Microwaves (HiJENKS/CHAMP), the digitization of electronic warfare (NGJ/Compass Call), and the weaponization of critical infrastructure (Cyber Command).

In Venezuela, these distinct technologies converged to produce a localized “reality failure” for the adversary. The laws of physics—specifically electromagnetism—were weaponized to deny the enemy the use of their own senses and tools. The operation confirms that in the modern battlespace, he who controls the spectrum controls the outcome. The S-300s did not fail because they were broken; they failed because they were designed for a kinetic war, and they were fighting a spectral one.

Appendix: Methodology

This report was constructed by a multi-disciplinary team using a fusion-based Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) methodology. The analysis proceeded in four phases:

  1. Data Aggregation: We ingested 192 distinct research snippets ranging from official Department of Defense press releases and technical budget documents (FY2025 Weapons Systems) to eyewitness accounts in international media and technical academic papers on electromagnetic bio-effects.
  2. Phenomenological Correlation: We cross-referenced the layperson descriptions of the event (“sound in head,” “head exploding”) with medical and engineering literature. The correlation between the “Discombobulator” symptoms and the documented Frey Effect was the primary key that unlocked the HPM hypothesis.
  3. Systems Matching: We analyzed the capabilities of known U.S. “black” and “gray” programs (HiJENKS, NGJ, MALD-X, Meadowlands) against the observed failure modes of the Venezuelan defenses. We matched the capability (e.g., “electronic fry”) with the system (HiJENKS) and the delivery platform (JASSM/Drone).
  4. Adversary Vulnerability Assessment: We utilized technical data on the S-300VM and JY-27A to identify their theoretical weaknesses (e.g., PESA side-lobes, VHF resolution limits) and overlaid the U.S. capabilities to validate the plausibility of the “soft kill.”

This rigorous process allowed us to move beyond the “magic weapon” narrative and define the engineering reality of the event.

If you find this post useful, please share the link on Facebook, with your friends, etc. Your support is much appreciated and if you have any feedback, please email me at in**@*********ps.com. Please note that for links to other websites, we are only paid if there is an affiliate program such as Avantlink, Impact, Amazon and eBay and only if you purchase something. If you’d like to directly contribute towards our continued reporting, please visit our funding page.

Sources Used

  1. Trump Claims Secret ‘Discombobulator’ Weapon Key to Venezuela Raid, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.sofx.com/trump-claims-secret-discombobulator-weapon-key-to-venezuela-raid/
  2. Trump says US forces used ‘Discombobulator’ energy weapon during Venezuela raid, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/trump-says-us-forces-used-discombobulator-energy-weapon-during-venezuela-raid/
  3. Trump says US used new secret “Discombobulator” weapon to capture Maduro, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/01/24/8017719/
  4. The “Discombobulator”: Unpacking the Physics (and the Risks) of the Weapon That Captured Maduro | by Jesse A. Canchola | Jan, 2026 | Medium, accessed January 26, 2026, https://medium.com/@jcanchola1264/the-discombobulator-unpacking-the-physics-and-the-risks-of-the-weapon-that-captured-maduro-899be6f43aa9
  5. The military is testing a weapon that aims to destroy electronics, not buildings, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.popsci.com/technology/weapon-targets-electronics/
  6. Behind US cyberoperation that shut down electricity in Caracas ahead of January strikes, accessed January 26, 2026, https://caliber.az/en/post/behind-us-cyberoperation-that-shut-down-electricity-in-caracas-ahead-of-january-strikes
  7. US officials confirm cyber role in Caracas blackout during Maduro raid, accessed January 26, 2026, https://cybernews.com/cyber-war/us-confirms-cyber-role-caracas-blackout/
  8. U.S. Navy EA-18G Electronic Attack Jets Played a Central Role in Breaking Venezuela’s Air Defences – Military Watch Magazine, accessed January 26, 2026, https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/ea18g-electronic-attack-entral-venezuela
  9. US Navy declares initial operational capability for the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band system | NAVAIR, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/US-Navy-declares-initial-operational-capability-Next-Generation-Jammer-Mid-Band-system/Mon
  10. High-Power Microwave Systems – Getting (Much, Much) Closer to Operational Status, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.jedonline.com/2023/01/24/high-power-microwave-systems-getting-much-much-closer-to-operational-status/
  11. NEW HORIZONS OF THE NUCLEAR AGE, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.nids.mod.go.jp/english/publication/perspectives/pdf/2024/13_e2024_all.pdf
  12. Diplomats’ Mystery Illness and Pulsed Radiofrequency/Microwave Radiation – PubMed, accessed January 26, 2026, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30183509/
  13. Exposure To High-Powered Microwave Frequencies May Cause Brain Injuries, accessed January 26, 2026, https://stories.tamu.edu/news/2022/04/22/exposure-to-high-powered-microwave-frequencies-may-cause-brain-injuries/
  14. New Reports Reinforce Cyberattack’s Role in Maduro Capture Blackout – SecurityWeek, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.securityweek.com/new-reports-reinforce-cyberattacks-role-in-maduro-capture-blackout/
  15. Layered Ambiguity: US Cyber Capabilities in the Raid to Extract Maduro from Venezuela, accessed January 26, 2026, https://my.rusi.org/resource/layered-ambiguity-us-cyber-capabilities-in-the-raid-to-extract-maduro-from-venezuela.html
  16. China’s Anti-Stealth JY-27 Radar Flops In Venezuela; Did F-22, F-35 “Hunter” Got Hunted By USAF, Experts Decode – Reddit, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.reddit.com/r/China/comments/1q4qdoy/chinas_antistealth_jy27_radar_flops_in_venezuela/
  17. Chinese-made Temu JY-27A Anti-stealth Radar, FK-3 Missile and Russian-made S-300VM Proved Duds Against Super Hornets, EA-18G and F-35 Stealth Jets in Venezuela. – Global Defense Corp, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2026/01/05/chinese-made-jy-27a-anti-stealth-radar-fk-3-missile-and-russian-made-s-300vm-proved-duds/
  18. China aims new JY-27V radar at stealthy targets, such as America’s fifth-gen fighters, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.reddit.com/r/AirForce/comments/1l2wxzr/china_aims_new_jy27v_radar_at_stealthy_targets/
  19. An autopsy of Venezuela’s $2 billion Russian S-300VM missile system – We Are The Mighty, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.wearethemighty.com/feature/autopsy-venezuela-s-300vm/
  20. S-300VM missile system – Wikipedia, accessed January 26, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-300VM_missile_system
  21. Next Generation Jammer – Wikipedia, accessed January 26, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Generation_Jammer
  22. EA-37B Compass Call – Deagel.com, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.deagel.com/Aerospace%20Forces/EA-37B%20Compass%20Call/a003725
  23. L3Harris EA-37B Compass Call – Wikipedia, accessed January 26, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L3Harris_EA-37B_Compass_Call
  24. Recent MALD-X Advanced Air Launched Decoy Test Is A Much Bigger Deal Than It Sounds Like – The War Zone, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.twz.com/23126/recent-mald-x-advanced-air-launched-decoy-test-is-a-much-bigger-deal-than-it-sounds-like
  25. MALD-X Project Completes Free Flight Demonstration – Department of War, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/1610872/mald-x-project-completes-free-flight-demonstration/
  26. 2026 United States intervention in Venezuela – Wikipedia, accessed January 26, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_intervention_in_Venezuela
  27. Eight Military Takeaways from the Maduro Raid, accessed January 26, 2026, https://mwi.westpoint.edu/eight-military-takeaways-from-the-maduro-raid/
  28. Operation Absolute Resolve: Anatomy of a Modern Decapitation Strike, accessed January 26, 2026, https://sofsupport.org/operation-absolute-resolve-anatomy-of-a-modern-decapitation-strike/
  29. Imagery from Venezuela Shows a Surgical Strike, Not Shock and Awe, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.csis.org/analysis/imagery-venezuela-shows-surgical-strike-not-shock-and-awe
  30. Operation Absolute Resolve: Anatomy of a Modern Decapitation Strike, accessed January 26, 2026, https://smallwarsjournal.com/2026/01/06/operation-absolute-resolve-anatomy-of-a-modern-decapitation-strike/
  31. L3Harris Strengthens US Space Force’s Non-Kinetic Arsenal with Meadowlands Satellite Jammer. – Global Tenders, accessed January 26, 2026, https://global.tendernews.com/newsdetails.aspx?s=7663&t=L3Harris-Strengthens-U.S.-Space-Force%E2%80%99s-Non-Kinetic-Arsenal-with-Meadowlands-Satellite-Jammer.
  32. USSF Authorizes Export of ‘Meadowlands’ Offensive Space Warfare System – SatNews, accessed January 26, 2026, https://news.satnews.com/2025/12/11/ussf-authorizes-export-of-meadowlands-offensive-space-warfare-system/
  33. The global implications of the US military operation in Venezuela, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-global-implications-of-the-us-military-operation-in-venezuela/
  34. Havana syndrome: ‘directed’ radio frequency likely cause of illness – report – The Guardian, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/06/havana-syndrome-directed-radio-frequency-likely-cause-of-illness-report
  35. Accumulative Effects of Multifrequency Microwave Exposure with 1.5 GHz and 2.8 GHz on the Structures and Functions of the Immune System – MDPI, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/6/4988
  36. High-peak-power microwave pulses: effects on heart rate and blood pressure in unanesthetized rats – PubMed, accessed January 26, 2026, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8526837/
  37. Cyberattacks Likely Part of Military Operation in Venezuela – Dark Reading, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-operations/cyberattacks-part-military-operation-venezuela
  38. India’s S-400 Vulnerability Exposed: UK Think Tank Flags China’s Shadow Over Russian Missile Defense System – EurAsian Times, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.eurasiantimes.com/indias-s-400-vulnerability-exposed-uk-think-tank/
  39. Explained: From Op Sindoor To Venezuela, Why Chinese Weapons, Radars Are Facing Repeated Failures – YouTube, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8GCbNJf5Yw
  40. “Operation Absolute Resolve” and Just War Tradition, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2026/01/99980/
  41. US Tests ‘Secret’ Weapon In Venezuela: Maduro Aide’s Bombshell | ‘Systematic BOMBING Assisted By AI’, accessed January 26, 2026, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/international/us-tests-secret-weapon-in-venezuela-maduro-aides-bombshell-systematic-bombing-assisted-by-ai/videoshow/127322003.cms
  42. US Venezuela raid has raised questions about why air defenses barely responded: analysis, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7785/Artykul/3635331,us-venezuela-raid-has-raised-questions-about-why-air-defenses-barely-responded-analysis
  43. The U.S. Military Campaign Targeting Venezuela and Nicolás Maduro: What to Know, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.cfr.org/articles/operation-southern-spear-us-military-campaign-targeting-venezuela
  44. Trump says US used secret weapon to disable Venezuelan equipment in Maduro raid, accessed January 26, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-weapon-maduro-drug-strikes-c052fd24a350a04a458f501b4b536e62
  45. Diplomats’ Mystery Illness and Pulsed Radiofrequency/Microwave Radiation | Neural Computation – MIT Press Direct, accessed January 26, 2026, https://direct.mit.edu/neco/article/30/11/2882/8424/Diplomats-Mystery-Illness-and-Pulsed
  46. Randomized Comparative Study of Microwave Ablation and Electrocautery for Control of Recurrent Epistaxis – PubMed, accessed January 26, 2026, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31597530/
  47. Effects of Noise Exposure on the Vestibular System: A Systematic Review – Frontiers, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2020.593919/full
  48. Pulsed High-Power Radio Frequency Energy Can Cause Non-Thermal Harmful Effects on the BRAIN – NIH, accessed January 26, 2026, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10914144/
  49. PRISM Vol. 8, No. 3 – NDU Press, accessed January 26, 2026, https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Portals/68/Documents/prism/prism_8-3/prism_8-3.pdf
  50. Does the US have an EMP missile or project like that? – Quora, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.quora.com/Does-the-US-have-an-EMP-missile-or-project-like-that
  51. Scientists Believe US Embassy Staff and CIA Officers Were Hit With High-Power Microwaves – Here’s How the Weapons Work – SciTechDaily, accessed January 26, 2026, https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-believe-us-embassy-staff-and-cia-officers-were-hit-with-high-power-microwaves-heres-how-the-weapons-work/
  52. The Air Force used microwave energy to take down a drone swarm – Popular Science, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.popsci.com/technology/thor-weapon-drone-swarm-test/
  53. US Action in Venezuela Provokes Cyberattack Speculation – BankInfoSecurity, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/us-action-in-venezuela-provokes-cyberattack-speculation-a-30439
  54. Next Generation Jammer – Low Band (NGJ-LB) | L3Harris® Fast. Forward., accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.l3harris.com/all-capabilities/next-generation-jammer-low-band-ngj-lb
  55. Our Best Look Yet At The Air Force’s EC-37B Compass Call Jamming Jet – The War Zone, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.twz.com/our-best-look-yet-at-the-air-forces-ec-37b-compass-call-jamming-jet
  56. The main vulnerability of the Russian S-400 has been revealed (Business Insider, Germany), accessed January 26, 2026, https://vpk.name/en/1003526_the-main-vulnerability-of-the-russian-s-400-has-been-revealed-business-insider-germany.html
  57. China’s Anti-Stealth JY-27 Radar Flops In Venezuela? Did F-22, F-35 “Hunter” Got Hunted By USAF, Experts Decode – EurAsian Times, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.eurasiantimes.com/chinas-anti-stealth-jy-27-radar-flops-in-venezuela/
  58. Donald Trump Says a Secret ‘Discombobulator’ Was Used When Capturing Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, accessed January 26, 2026, https://people.com/donald-trump-says-secret-discombobulator-was-used-during-nicolas-maduro-capture-11892111
  59. S-400 Illusion: New Report Exposes Critical Supply Chain Failure in Russia’s ‘Invincible’ Air Defense – Kyiv Post, accessed January 26, 2026, https://www.kyivpost.com/post/66149
  60. US Army Electromagnetic Warfare Capabilities Update – CPE IEW&S, accessed January 26, 2026, https://peoiews.army.mil/2025/07/07/us-army-electromagnetic-warfare-capabilities-update/