This Military Laser is Manipulated by Xbox Controller

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The US Army warfighters are now training with lasers to attack threats in the sky, in order to gain hands-on experience operating a high-energy laser system. The Mobile Experimental High Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a technology integration and experimentation effort with a solid-state laser linked to a Ku-band radar tracker mounted on an all-terrain combat platform. The laser is a concentrated beam of light that can engage smaller threats from far away, all while on a moving, armored Stryker vehicle. This is the Army’s first high energy laser on a combat platform.

“It’s the first high-energy laser platform that has a soldier inside using the weapon,” lead developer Dr. Richard Yaw said. Its targets? Drones, missiles, mortars and rockets.

The current test model, which proves all of the components of a system can be mounted on one platform, has a 10 kilowatt high-energy laser. The next step is a 50 kilowatt laser due in 2021, according to al.com.

“This is the first of its kind,” said lead engineer Christy Reddy. “A proof of concept risk reduction vehicle, so the first time we’ve had a mobile weapon system on a maneuverable vehicle.” “This particular platform is used to train soldiers. So we’ve taken it to multiple exercises across the country and in Europe, so active-duty military get on the platform, see how it works and give us feedback.”

Soldiers use real Xbox controllers to manipulate the lasers. This makes the system more relatable, and generally easier to use by younger warfighters, according to whnt.com.

How does it work? While one soldier engages a threat, another soldier uses the secondary optic, which works like a camera, to identify the next threat. These threats are typically small, unmanned aerial vehicles, like drones.

“This is something that can engage a threat, then move on to the next one very rapidly,” Reddy said.