America's laser of death cleared for take-off

The Sunday Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 02/17/2002 | Sean Rayment

[Pokey78]

AMERICA'S enemies will soon face a weapon, once confined to the Star Wars films, that can bring death at the speed of light.

The special operations AC-130 Spectre gunship, whose conventional weaponry has been used to devastating effect since the Vietnam War, is to be fitted with a laser that can shoot down missiles, punch holes in aircraft and knock out ground radar stations.

Despite the successful operations against Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan, the emergence of asymmetric terrorist warfare - attacks such as September 11 where the enemy is unseen - has led the Pentagon to identify the need for a more sophisticated and deadly weapons system.

The next generation gunship, codenamed AC-X and nicknamed 'Son of Spectre' by US defence officials, will carry all the weaponry already used on the AC-130, including twin 20mm Vulcan cannon (capable of firing 2,500 rounds per minute), 40mm Bofor cannon (100 rounds per minute) and a 105mm Howitzer. Its 21st-century addition, however, will be its biggest punch: a chemical oxygen iodine laser (Coil), capable of carrying out lethal and non-lethal attacks.

The advantage of laser weapons is that they strike at the speed of light. In the Coil, the power of a chemical reaction is converted to laser energy, and the weapon can carry on firing as long as its power source is intact.

Paul Wolfowitz, the US deputy defence secretary, has given the go-ahead for the next-generation AC-130, which includes full funding for the "integration of a direct-energy weapon".

The Pentagon is yet to announce when the new laser-equipped "Son of Spectre" will come into operation, but it is understood that the first upgraded version could be involved in military operations within two years.

Although lasers exist that can hit aircraft, disable optically guided missiles and destroy communications lines, the ability to vaporise enemy troops and vehicles Star Wars-style will take a few more years to develop.

The Spectre, flown by the 16th Special Operations Squadron, has a crew of 13, including two observers using television and infra-red images to direct the four gunners on to their target.

Working in pairs, normally providing close air support for special forces ground operations, Spectres can circle targets for hours, pulverising areas the size of football pitches with extraordinary precision.

The Spectre has, however, come to the end of its operational life and further upgrades have been ruled out on cost grounds.

Rob Hewson, the editor of Jane's Air Launched Weapons, said: "The laser will be the atomic weapon of the 21st century. Since the 1970s, US scientists have conducted a series of secret experiments in the Nevada desert using lasers.

"We know that they had lasers capable of causing immense damage but they needed huge power packs. This remains a problem and this is why a laser weapon can only be fitted on an air frame the size of the AC-130. But advances will be made and the power plant will shrink and one day it will dominate the battle field.

"The Americans may already have a very powerful laser weapon far more advanced than we have seen. They have been carrying out research in this field for years but it is a very secret weapons programme and we have no idea how far they have progressed."

Once the Coil and its power plant have been fully developed, the USAF hopes to fit it to a whole range of manned and unmanned aircraft, such as the Predator reconnaissance probe, which is fitted with Hellfire missiles and has been used in CIA operations in Afghanistan.

Lasers could also be used as an additional weapon system to fighters, bombers, helicopter gunships and warships but this is unlikely for a decade.

[DoughtyOne]

Someone on another thread was just commenting on the Patriot act and it's constitutional aspects. Might I suggest that if anyone get's elected in 2004 we should be very worried.

[unamused]

I love it...
"Set it, and forget it..."

[green team 1999]

a death star!

[Sabertooth]

hah! Beat ya!

Yeah, but you didn't flag me. Are you the last Freeper not using my list?

Hey, OPH... just after 9/11, Drudge carried a link... "America's Superweapons," and this laser plane was featured, along with a lot of other cool gadgets... like cybernetic "Land Warior" armor and laser-guided mortar guns... the mortars were satellite linked and programmable in battle, so that infantry on the move could hit targets on the other sides of hills... there was a second barrel on the gun that shot standard NATO 5.56 rounds.

But about this plane... Or perhaps it was another one... The article claimed that it could fly at altitude and vaporize a single human target in a crowd from 180 miles! Said we were building two of them.

I bookmarked the link, but it busted within days. Too much classified material, is my guess.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

in 91 the republican guard pooped in their pants over smart bombs could you imagine the fear they will be in when we start shooting lasers at them

[counterrevolutionary]

"Mr. Worf...fire!"

[webcrosby]

The death star was make believe, this isn't.

[VietVet]

"And the Telegraph is privy to this infomation how?"

My guess is that they are either reading Astounding Science Fiction ... or Aviation Week and Space Technology.

[Cobra64]

..."Makes me wonder....what on earth is in the barn???"

The Chinese already know "what's in the barn."

Compliments of Bill Clinton.

[Bogey78O]

I know a guy whose job is to help develop new laser systems. He's kinda disturbed by it since he's a pacifist.

[Fzob]

FACT SHEET

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UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

Air Force Research Laboratory
Office of Public Affairs
3550 Aberdeen Avenue S.E., Kirtland AFB NM 87117-5776
(505) 846-1911; Fax (505) 846-0423
INTERNET: http://de.afrl.af.mil

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CHEMICAL OXYGEN-IODINE LASER (COIL)

Click on picture to enlarge (317k)

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The chemical oxygen-iodine laser, or COIL, is the world’s shortest wavelength, high-power chemical laser.

Operating on an atomic iodine laser transition, COIL emits light with a wavelength of 1.315 micrometers.

An excited state of molecular oxygen, O₂(^1D ), is generated by the chemical reaction between chlorine gas and an aqueous mixture of hydrogen peroxide and potassium hydroxide (basic hydrogen peroxide). The byproducts of this reaction include salt (potassium chloride) and heat. Water vapor in the gas flow is removed because it interferes with the laser gas kinetics. Molecular iodine is then injected and mixed with the gas flow, and some of the energy in the oxygen is used to dissociate the iodine. Resonant energy transfer from the excited oxygen to the atomic iodine excites the iodine, and the gas flow is accelerated to a supersonic velocity in an expansion nozzle to create the laser gain region. Light is extracted with a laser cavity positioned transverse to the gas flow, and the exhaust gases are scrubbed to remove the residual chlorine and iodine.

COIL was invented in 1977 at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, which became part of the Phillips Laboratory and then Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, in 1990 and 1997, respectively. The Air Force continues to develop COIL technology using two test stands at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate: a 10 kilowatt-class device called RADICL (Research and Development Iodine Chemical Laser) and the one-kilowatt device called VertiCOIL. A third test stand, a 40 kilowatt-class device called RotoCOIL can be reactivated for high-power testing.

Several key breakthroughs by Air Force scientists, engineers, and their contractors have resulted in efficient, scalable, and reliable laser technology for use in various applications. Significant "firsts" achieved under the Air Force Weapons Laboratory and Phillips Laboratory COIL development program are as follows:

DATE	EVENT
1977	Invention of COIL
1982	Demonstration of world’s highest power subsonic gas flow COIL
1984	Demonstration of the first supersonic gas flow COIL
1984	Development under Air Force contract of the compact, rotating disk oxygen generator by TRW Corporation
1984	Development under Air Force contract of the COIL supersonic mixing nozzle array by Rockwell Corporation
1987-1990	Demonstration of COIL scalability to 40 kilowatts by RotoCOIL device
1987	Invention of pulsed COIL by use of a magnetic Q-switch
1989	Demonstration of high-power (700 Watts) continuous wave frequency doubling
1992	Demonstration of high-power COIL pulsing by use of magnetic gain switching

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COIL Energy Characteristics
Power:	1 kilowatt to 40 kilowatt
Wavelength:	1.315 mm
Energy Source:	chemical reaction
Type of operation:	continuous wave or pulsed

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Air Force Research Laboratory
Current as of January 1998

[MeekOneGOP]

America's laser of death cleared for take-off

Excerpt:

The advantage of laser weapons is that they strike at the speed of light. In the Coil, the power of a chemical reaction is converted to laser energy, and the weapon can carry on firing as long as its power source is intact.

Paul Wolfowitz, the US deputy defence secretary, has given the go-ahead for the next-generation AC-130, which includes full funding for the "integration of a direct-energy weapon".

The Pentagon is yet to announce when the new laser-equipped "Son of Spectre" will come into operation, but it is understood that the first upgraded version could be involved in military operations within two years.

Although lasers exist that can hit aircraft, disable optically guided missiles and destroy communications lines, the ability to vaporise enemy troops and vehicles Star Wars-style will take a few more years to develop.

---

Ping for high-tech military. . .
(((PING))))))
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[MeekOneGOP]

Real Cool, I hope the evil axis is reading this.

They'll never know what hit 'em! :o)

[F.J. Mitchell]

Mr. Rayment has either been watching too many reruns of old, Bond, James Bond, movies, or else he has been watching "Mars attacks" over and over and confusing MARS with USA.

Let his ilk continue to confuse our enemies with talk of the special effects from old movies, while our scientists create wonders that is beyond the imagination of HollyWood producers. Marvel not at what we are accused of having,or may have, respect instead what is already in the inventory, and respect the fact that we truly want to live in peace.

[Sabertooth]

Everyone else sound like junior high teenagers. ;')

Still scarred, huh?

[Samwise]

Hey, Clinton proved that anybody can be elected President in the U.S.A. When you make it to the White House, don't forget to invite me to a State dinner. OK?

[Elsie]

The advantage of laser weapons is that they strike at the speed of light.

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Uh... guys..... you KNEW this was coming, didn't you???

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Revelation 13:11-13
11. Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.
12. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
13. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.

[xzins]

And the Telegraph is privy to this information how?

Army magazine just ran a similar article.