US Military to Test Laser Weapon Prototype 

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A high-power, compact laser weapon subsystem prototype is expected to produce a lethal output greater than anything fielded to date, according to General Atomics. This air defense capability is “necessary to support the US Army’s modernization efforts and defeat next-generation threats in a multi-domain battlespace.”

General Atomics EMS and Boeing were awarded a U.S. Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) contract to develop a 300kW-class solid-state Distributed Gain High Energy Laser Weapon System. Delivery will be a 300 kW-class distributed gain laser with an integrated Boeing beam director. 

The objective of this contract is a demonstration of the design. 

The system will leverage GA-EMS’ scalable Distributed Gain Laser technology with Boeing’s beam director and precision acquisition, tracking and pointing software to provide a complete demonstrator with sophisticated laser and beam control, according to GA’s announcement.