Laser weapon systems – proven capabilities?

Laser weapon systems – proven capabilities?

אמל"ח לייזר - אילוסטרציה

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Laser weapon systems - Illustration
Laser weapon systems – Illustration

Laser based weapon systems are being developed in a growing pace.

It was recently reported that Lockheed Martin’s 30-kilowatt fiber laser weapon system successfully disabled the engine of a small truck during a t field test, demonstrating the rapidly evolving precision capability. This enables protecting both military forces and critical infrastructure.

The company says that the ground-based prototype system, — called ATHENA, for Advanced Test High Energy Asset — burned through the engine manifold in a matter of seconds from more than a mile away. The truck was mounted on a test platform with its engine and drive train running to simulate an operationally-relevant test scenario.

“Fiber-optic lasers are revolutionizing directed energy systems,” said Keoki Jackson, Lockheed Martin chief technology officer. “We are investing in every component of the system — from the optics and beam control to the laser itself — to drive size, weight and power efficiencies. This test represents the next step to providing lightweight and rugged laser weapon systems for military aircraft, helicopters, ships and trucks.”

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According to HomeLand Security News Wire, the demonstration marked the first field testing of an integrated 30-kilowatt, single-mode fiber laser weapon system prototype. Through a technique called Spectral Beam Combining, multiple fiber laser modules form a single, powerful, high-quality beam that provides greater efficiency and lethality than multiple individual 10-kilowatt lasers used in other systems.

A report by gizmag adds that ’Spectrum Beam Combining’ overcomes these limitations by using fiber laser modules where the active gain medium consists of an optical fiber doped with a rare-earth element such as erbium, ytterbium, neodymium, or others.

Optical fibers are flexible, so the laser can be thousands of meters long for greater gain, while taking up very little space because it can be coiled like a rope. The large surface-to-volume ratio means that it’s also easy to cool. In addition, fiber laser are very durable and project a high-quality beam using 50 percent less electricity than an equivalent solid-state laser.