Posted on 04/19/2022 8:22:54 AM PDT by Red Badger
Artist's concept of a ship-mounted laser weapon
The US Navy has shot down its first drone representing a subsonic cruise missile using an all-electric high-energy laser. At the US Army’s High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, the Lockheed Martin Layered Laser Defense (LLD) weapon disabled the engine on a drone, which then parachuted to earth.
Sponsored by the US Office of Naval Research (ONR) and conducted in partnership with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering) and Lockheed Martin, the February 2022 test was intended not only to demonstrate the ability of laser weapons to track and take out large targets like the drone in question, but also a variety of threats, such as robotic fixed-wing aerial vehicles, quadcopters, and subsonic cruise missiles.
According to the Navy, laser weapons have a number of advantages. Using a high-resolution telescope, the system can track and help identify incoming targets and determine how much damage the laser inflicts on a target. In addition, laser weapons can be scaled back to disable sensors or dazzle hostile forces without permanently blinding them.
(Excerpt) Read more at newatlas.com ...
The targeting, range and required time of engagement are the challenges when engaging missiles moving at mach 5+ (ballistic and hypersonic speeds).
How environmentally unconscious - I want a wind-powered laser!
Steampunk laser rifle:
I’m glad that the NAVY was successful in shooting down a drone with a Laser system.
Though I’ll be much happier when they are able to do the same thing with ICBM’s. I see No reason why it can’t be done.
I’m sure that’s the eventual goal — to have a speed-of-light weapons system that can defend against hypersonic missiles. Plus, it allows the ship another layer of defense without having to deplete its SAM missiles and CIWS ammunition (those have to be reloaded and that takes time).
I agree with you!
IMHO, hyper-sonic missiles are being developed to kill aircraft carriers and other large navy ships using conventional warheads. I believe that the electric lasers would ramp up to peak power fast enough to engage hyper-sonic missiles.
186,000 miles per second - that’s “ludicrous speed”
Your CD ROM on steroids.
Thanks.
Got it.
5.56mm
Thanks.
5.56mm
If this is practical and can be fired in rapid bursts it changes the dynamics of surface naval warfare. Ships could operate in high enemy missile environments.
What about the “ship’s cat”?
“Can this take out a hyper-sonic missile?”
Maybe ONE out of each pair coming in...
Back during the SDI period, X-ray lasers were to be powered by a small nuclear explosion.
Field test it in Ukraine now! Target rich environment.
Too bad it was done on land and not at sea
Very different conditions
This one isn’t. It’s a series of solid state lasers brought into final alignment for the big burst
And that set of data are classified
No it was a series of solid state lasers
If it was successful, I’m sure the ChiComs already have the plans thanks to the Big Guy and Hunter.
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