Shooting with Laser

USS Dewey, one of U.S. Navy's guided missile destroyers ships, sail down the waters off the coast of California in the summer of last year. Suddenly the ship's radar capture signal of the unmanned surveillance aircraft of the enemy coast guard. The radar also detects a small boat speeding toward the USS Dewey. The ship's captain immediately ordered his men to shoot with Laser Weapon System (LaWS). The plane crashed into the sea, and the small boats were destroyed before they could hit the USS Dewey. This battle was recorded on video by the U.S. Navy.

Monday, April 22, 2013, the video was aired in the Annual Meeting of the United States Navy on the outskirts of Washington. "This weapons system has worked," said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert. He announced that in the summer of next year, the laser guns will be installed on the USS Ponce. Incidentally, at that time, the USS Ponce will start its maiden voyage to the Middle East. During the year, the ship will be placed in the backyard of Iran. This country is developing fast ship suspected and unmanned aircraft to dominate the Gulf of Persia.

The Laser Weapon System (LaWS) temporarily installed aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey in San Diego, Calif. (Picture from: http://www.npr.org/)

Research of Laser Weapon System (LaWS) is going on since six years ago. Cost of U.S. $ 40 million has been spent to create a Close In Weapons System (CIWS), which will be placed on the warship. After successful trials on the USS Dewey. And starting in December, 2012 LaWS was joined in the operation under control the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Naval Sea Systems Command.

The Laser Weapon System (LaWS) can be affected by rain and fog. (Picture from: http://news.sky.com/)

U.S. Navy to deploy sea-based laser
weapon on Summer 2014. (Picture from:
http://engtechmag.wordpress.com/)

LaWS Systems developed by Naval Research Laboratory using fiber optics and solid-state lasers. This is not the main weapon at the USS Ponce aboard, but as additional weapons. On this warship, LaWS will paired with anti-missile weapons, such as the Mk 15 CIWS Phalanx and radar systems.

The main attraction of this weapon is its ability to destroy targets deep quickly. Understandably, the laser beam is aimed speed of light. The engineers who designed the LaWS to explain the benefits, both as an offensive and defensive weapon.

Including the aircraft to turn off the speed of light, said Chief of Naval Research, Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder. Another advantage of LaWS is the magazine does not require explosives or propellants.

As a result, the laser beam can be fired continuously throughout sufficient electric power source available. For once laser shot is very cheap. "Under U.S. $ 1," Klunder said. Compare with hundreds of thousands dollars, the cost for once missiles fired.

LaWS optics. (Picture from: http://www.gizmag.com/)

Optical devices on LaWS making it an ideal weapon for aiming at targets. Includes tracking with infrared and locked. Besides the laser can be used to dazzle pilots and damage electronic devices of aircraft, vehicles, or submarines. Not surprisingly, the LaWS are considered as the main weapon for the 21st century. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ABC | GIZMAG | UWD | KORAN TEMPO 4209]

Boeing Laser Weapons Technology

Not only the Navy, United States Air Force is currently also developing a laser weapon. They took the company Boeing in the project Mobile Active Targeting Resource for Integrated Experiments (MATRIX).

In trials at the Naval Air Warfare Center, California, in May 2009, they destroyed the laser weapon systems, unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. Gary Fitsmire, Vice President and Program Director of Boeing Missile Defense Systems, satisfied with the performance of the MATRIX.

Boeing's MATRIX high-energy directed weapon knocks a UAV out of the sky. (Picture from: http://www.popsci.com/)

Boeing developed ATL for the Air Force. ATL demonstrations support the development of laser defense systems that will destroy, damage or disable targets on the battlefield and in urban operations with little to no collateral damage. (Picture from: http://www.popsci.com/)

"The trial is unprecedented, highly accurate, direct and track targets over long distances using low-energy laser," he said. Currently Boeing is leading the way in the development of laser-based weapons. Giant company is working with the Army, Navy, and U.S. Air apply a variety of weapons. Among other things, the Airborne Laser, the Advanced Tactical Laser, Free Electron Laser, High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator and Tactical Relay Mirror System. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | POPSCI | UWD | KORAN TEMPO 4209]

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