Posted on 08/17/2020 7:13:06 PM PDT by marktwain
The Defense Department expects to stand up its first battalion of Stryker vehicles outfitted with high-powered laser weapons by some time next year, Army officials say.
“Expect to have the first battalion fielded in 2021 with four battalions by 2023,” U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command chief Lt. Gen. Dan Karbler told the audience at the virtual Space Missile Defense symposium on Tuesday
The so-called "laser battalion," as Defense One described it, would eventually deploy the new 50 kw Directed Energy-Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense (DE-MSHORAD) Stryker that the Army is working to field by 2022, a ten-fold power increase over the 5 kw-class system that artillery soldiers have been testing in Germany since early 2018.
Defense contractors Northrop Grumman and Raytheon are currently competing to manufacture the new laser system, with plans for a "shoot off" between the two prototypes at Fort Sill in Oklahoma some time in May 2021, according to Breaking Defense.
A platoon of four laser Strykers prototypes will end up in the hands of an actual combat unit some time in 2022, according to Breaking Defense, with the laser system integrated into the vehicles' existing hardware as soon as this December.
(Excerpt) Read more at taskandpurpose.com ...
I have heard one method is ignition of a gas. After each shot the gas is replaced.
I’m thinking that the big use of these are going to be clearing out UAVs.
Correct.
It is hard to be 100% perfect with anything.
With this sort of power, just a tiny leakage/variation has effects.
A big problem has been to prevent "blooming" because of heading the air, and scintillation effects.
I was mildly associated with that work in the late 1980's.
It might not be near as depicted in the artiste's scene; but there is likely some effect.
Air quality and composition can vary a significant amount, especially with water vapor and particulates ( as noted previously).
Do they have a special unit of sharks with laser beam helmets?
Agreed. The atmosphere will have a great deal to do with it.
If you are just taking a small number of shots, you use a heat sink, and dissipate over time.
Dilithium crystals
"Take THAT, antifa scum!"
“DE-MSHORAD”
That rolls right off the tongue. They need a new person in charge of naming weapons systems.
“Hey, Sarge, the DE-MSHORAD is busted again.”
Yeah, that works.
As I recall, we used that with the Air Borne Laser (ABL). It was able to shoot down a missile tens or hundreds of miles away at the edge of space... I think, it used an Iodine and Oxygen laser.
I supported that program with some TDY people from my team, as I recall. Maybe they were a backup team. It has been a decade or more...
That's where my old outfit came in.
Significant heat sinks need a lot of mass. Mass is hard to come by, in space.
Yes, dissipation is the solution. In space, it requires radiation of the heat.
I am sure you realize... tradeoffs!
A far more important use is shooting down hypersonic missiles for which we have no defense at present.
Scientists want to bore holes through clouds using lasers from satellites
I remember a leaked photograph of some kind of laser-armed vehicle back in the 1970s.
Can't say more. Pretty sure I have not revealed anything classified, so far.
my dod worked on one in the mid seventies.
This would be great to use on the “peaceful protesters” using lasers on cops. Personally, I want a phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.
Sounds like the “Star Wars” missile defense system that Reagan proposed and “everyone” (Democrat stooges in the press, or “the press”) called him crazy. I think they should be called “Ronnie Ray Guns” in memory of one of our greatest presidents.
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