Laser Weapons

Aviation Week and Space Technology ^ | August 19,2002 | Aviation Week and Space Technology

[Young Werther]

Laser weapons on fighters have moved closer to reality with modification of an F-16 simulator to include high-energy laser weapon computer models. Pilots of the New Mexico Air National Guard's 150th Fighter Wing at Kirtland AFB, N.M. (where Air Force directed energy efforts are headquartered) are testing one design for air-to-air combat and another for attacking ground targets. The models take into account energy losses due to atmospheric transmission, the boundaries of lethal target engagements and laser limits and ranges, according to Rudy Martinez, a strategic planner with the Air Force Research Laboratory. A near-term goal is to use the simulator in war games to determine the utility of high-energy lasers against conventional weapons. The simulator is scheduled for system evaluation this year.

[Young Werther]

The Peacekeeper is being scrapped and the Crusader cannon will not be built. Maybe, our new weapons will rival the Luke's X Wing Fighter, Obi Wan's Laser Saber, and laser pistol on Hans Solo's hip! You don't simulate a weapons use, UNLESS you are ready to field test it!

[Dubh_Ghlase]

There was a report of battlefield lasers being developed by TRW and tested by Israel to replace the Patriot missile batteries in Northern Israel. It seemed they successfully tested it on an incoming salvo, then all PR on the system vanished. Probably already deployed.

I have a feeling there are going to be some nasty surprises in the offing for the enemy in the Desert Storm sequel... DS2!

[Young Werther]

In this latest issue of Aviation Week there is an article entitled Missile Defense Needs Engineers, Scientists. While the skilled personnel are not yet available, we can expect that the implementation of directed weapons, al la the EMP weapon for silencing radars and communications systems and the "zap your dead" leathal weapons will be how the next battlefield will be conquered.

[Young Werther]

Is that Hildy the Beast?

[jpl]

Damn, that's not the picture that's supposed to be showing. Admin Moderator, please remove my last post.

[HassanBenSobar]

Many of these developments go all the way back to 'star wars' defense shield days...it took a couple decades to get laser weapons systems up because there were some very tough hurdles. For instance, since the mid eighties, we've come a very long way with adaptive optics and with scaling up chemical laser systems. (It used to be that lasers with enough power to knock out missiles were just too big and heavy to fly in planes...). Anyway, when Desert Storm 2 comes (the 'mother-in-law- of all battles), thank Ronald Reagan for having the vision to get us started developing these weapons.

[bribriagain]

I was just going to say.....

[Physicist]

There was a report of battlefield lasers being developed by TRW and tested by Israel to replace the Patriot missile batteries in Northern Israel.

Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL)

[Bogey78O]

I have friend who used to work on stuff like this. Neat stuff. Said one thing they had was a laser that was so powerful it would blind anyone near it.

[fire_eye]

Nice looking piece. But I have a hunch it requires optical sighting and is therefore limited by weather conditions (maybe not a problem in the Middle East...).

It's probably an adjunct to, not a replacement for, the Patriot...

[SSN558]

"Missile Defense Needs Engineers"

They are definitely having recruiting problems. Part of it is related to low pay for entry level positions in this industry. Military and Weapons related engineering is now the lowest paying engineering field.

The other problem is the throw away engineer and every engineer knows about it. Defense spending rises and falls with the whims of Congress. When the next adminstration takes office odds are good an engineer will find him or herself out of a job and living in and area where few other good jobs exist.

I worked on star wars, midget man, and a few others and then got cut two weeks after clinton took office. I loved that work but like all the others that that got the axe, I can't afford to go back. Most that work in aerospace/ defense have already spent a few years of their life in the military working for low pay. After that an engineer or scientist must seek work in a stable industry or they never catch up to their peers.

[Young Werther]

Thanks for your service. I'm the president of the local National Space Society chapter. I hope that we an turn this around and have a proposal at our web site called Space University.

Space University

Maybe this is the way to "energize" the next genration of rocket scientists!

[carenot]

Said one thing they had was a laser that was so powerful it would blind anyone near it.

I swear I read about a Navy man that was blinded. But Government said that didn't happen.

A year or two ago.

[Bogey78O]

I don't know anything about that. He worked for a contractor till he got canned during cutbacks.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

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