Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Northrop Grumman Complete Milestone For The Joint High-Powered Solid State Laser Phase 3 Program
SpaceWar.com ^ | Mar 12, 2008 | Staff writers

Posted on 03/14/2008 7:03:09 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last
While chemical lasers are high powered, they are bulky and need replenishment which may not be available on the battle field.
1 posted on 03/14/2008 7:03:11 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Blood of Tyrants
Northrop Grumman is a foreign company. Even if they pull this off, we should give the contract to Boeing.
2 posted on 03/14/2008 7:05:54 AM PDT by 11th Commandment (Elect Conservatives- if you don't vote for McCain, at least work to elect conservatives!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Blood of Tyrants

DID BOEING GET TO BID ON THIS??!!

toggle/PattyMurrayMode/off/run


3 posted on 03/14/2008 7:06:43 AM PDT by Bean Counter (Stout Hearts...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Blood of Tyrants

How does a “solid state” laser generate its power? From what?

Can understand chemicals being depleted upon each firing.

Will a solid state deplete also?


4 posted on 03/14/2008 7:09:08 AM PDT by Seeking the truth (Queen Hillary faux postage stamps - 0cents.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Blood of Tyrants

5 posted on 03/14/2008 7:10:35 AM PDT by Slapshot68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Blood of Tyrants

Holy crap 300 secs is a long time to have 100kW of laser focused on you.

However, it likely requires in excess of 10 GIGA-watts or so of electrical power to produce 100kW of laser.


6 posted on 03/14/2008 7:12:29 AM PDT by Palmetto
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 11th Commandment

“Northrop Grumman is a foreign company”

They’re not a foreign company.


7 posted on 03/14/2008 7:13:03 AM PDT by Slapshot68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Seeking the truth

Solid state lasers are typically diode-pumped rods. The diodes where out over time, easily replaced.


8 posted on 03/14/2008 7:14:12 AM PDT by Palmetto
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: 11th Commandment

Listen for a second. Grumman got the contract for 2 reasons. 1. it is a political payoff to france for electing a USA friendly president. Just deal with it, these things have to be done from time to time.
2. Boeing basically tried to rip off the govt. with the tank leasing deal. 3 exec.s are serving time in federal prison for it. Boeing has the majority of the military contracts and it was a way of the military to B!tch-slap Boeing for trying to pull it. These things have to also be done from time to time.


9 posted on 03/14/2008 7:14:34 AM PDT by Walkingfeather
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 11th Commandment
Northrop Grumman is a foreign company. Even if they pull this off, we should give the contract to Boeing.

NOC is an American company.

Northrop Grumman Corp.

1840 Century Park East

Los Angeles, CA 90067

Web Site: http://www.northropgrumman.com

10 posted on 03/14/2008 7:14:56 AM PDT by Poison Pill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 11th Commandment
Northrop Grumman is a foreign company.

No it isn't. It's headquartered in Los Angeles and listed on the NYSE. It has something over 100,000 employees and the vast majority of them are in the US. Aside from military aircraft they even build most of our nuke carriers and submarines.

Where do you get the idea they are foreign owned?

11 posted on 03/14/2008 7:24:17 AM PDT by Ditto (Global Warming: The 21st Century's Snake Oil)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 11th Commandment
Grummam est 1929

Products: F4F Wildcat; F6F Hellcat; TBF Avenger; A-6 Intruder; F-14 Tomcat; Apollo Lunar Module

Northrop

Products: P-61 night fighter, Flying Wings (B-35 and YB-49), F-89 interceptor, Snark intercontinental missile and F-5 jet fighter

Northrup Grumman est 1927
Products B2 The B2 ain't French

12 posted on 03/14/2008 7:32:38 AM PDT by ThomasThomas (It's a slow night so, In for a penny in for a pound.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ThomasThomas

Correction Northrup est 1927

Nortrup Grumman merged 1994


13 posted on 03/14/2008 7:35:29 AM PDT by ThomasThomas (It's a slow night so, In for a penny in for a pound.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Palmetto

Actually, it looks like the electrooptical efficiency is in the 20% range, which means the input power should be 500 kW or so. Me want!


14 posted on 03/14/2008 7:39:46 AM PDT by Technocrat (McCain-Romney 2008. Crap.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Technocrat
Actually, it looks like the electrooptical efficiency is in the 20% range, which means the input power should be 500 kW or so. Me want!

Will my Mr. Fusion power down low enough to run this new laser, without burning it our, or will I need the Mr. Fusion Jr.? :-)

15 posted on 03/14/2008 7:55:55 AM PDT by Turbo Pig (...to close with and destroy the enemy...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: ThomasThomas

You forgot the EA-6B Prowler & EA-18G Growler.

http://www.is.northropgrumman.com/systems/ea6bprowler.html

http://www.fas.org/irp/program/collect/ea-6b_prowler.htm

http://www.is.northropgrumman.com/systems/ea18growler.html


16 posted on 03/14/2008 8:07:41 AM PDT by Garvin (Does Liberalisim make you insane, or does insanity make you a Liberal?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Seeking the truth

“Can understand chemicals being depleted upon each firing.

Will a solid state deplete also?”

No, it’ll require external power. I understand they want to fly this on the F-35. Must have a heck of a generator... ;-)


17 posted on 03/14/2008 8:22:44 AM PDT by PreciousLiberty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

It will probably fire off a bank of capacitors that will recharge over a period of time. How long, I have no idea.


18 posted on 03/14/2008 9:22:36 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

It will probably fire off a bank of capacitors that will recharge over a period of time. How long, I have no idea.


19 posted on 03/14/2008 9:22:37 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Palmetto

Yes, I studied plasma physics in college and know that the efficiency of gaseous lasers is low, about 2% or less. I am not sure what the efficiency of diode lasers is. I’ll bet it is much higher than gaseous lasers, maybe as much as 10-20%. If it required 10 GW of power, that would be the equivalent of 5 large nuclear reactors (5 X 2,000 MegaWatts).


20 posted on 03/14/2008 10:26:54 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson