Navy Ship Uses High Powered Laser To Shoot Down Drone During At Sea Test

I thought of Star Wars when I read this story.

It won't be long when we'll see high powered lasers on military fighter jets. A laser burst is nearly instantaneous, fires straight and could possibly replace short range air-to-air missiles.

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Amphibious ship USS Portland (LPD-27) shot down a drone with a laser weapon during a first-of-its-kind at-sea test of the Navy’s high-energy laser weapon system.

In this test, Portland fired its high-power laser weapon at an unmanned aerial vehicle while operating off Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on May 16, U.S. Pacific Fleet announced in a news release today.

“The Solid State Laser Weapons System Demonstrator is a unique capability the Portland gets to test and operate for the Navy, while paving the way for future weapons systems,” he added. “With this new advanced capability, we are redefining war at sea for the Navy.”

I believe the official terminology is:

Pew Pew.

a reply to: zazzafrazz

I can't wait to see the AC-130 with the pew pew.

WX may be a factor in some situations.

But I'll a pew, or two.

Seemed to me the laser beam was huge and the time it took to destroy the drone was too long. More than just a burst anyway.

a reply to: CharlesT

It takes a few seconds to burn through.

a reply to: Phage

WX will be a factor on effectiveness, dependent on laser frequency, as will the surface coating of the target.

A ship has the power to operate a solid state weapons laser.

originally posted by: CharlesT
Seemed to me the laser beam was huge and the time it took to destroy the drone was too long. More than just a burst anyway.

Too slow, too weak

originally posted by: visitedbythem

originally posted by: CharlesT
Seemed to me the laser beam was huge and the time it took to destroy the drone was too long. More than just a burst anyway.

Too slow, too weak

Speed of light..
Reaches its target instantly, must faster than a missile.
Doesn’t cost a million dollars per shot..

Sounds pretty good to me.

I’m interested in the range and how it’s effected by weather like rain.

F yeah Laser USA!

Baby steps folks, eventually we'll get it down to a reasonable TTK, in the meantime, while its DPS is low, we can continue to push the evenlope so that we can eventually walk away with a high DPS and fast TTK weapons platform.

originally posted by: Arnie123
Baby steps folks, eventually we'll get it down to a reasonable TTK, in the meantime, while its DPS is low, we can continue to push the evenlope so that we can eventually walk away with a high DPS and fast TTK weapons platform.

just need to crank the wattage up. dedicate its own nuclear reactor.

a reply to: shawmanfromny

I don't see it happening for a long time. That's not to say they don't already have something in place, but if they don't, I would look at Formula1 KERS style system.

If you can somehow regenerate the battery system for a lazer through the energy of the jet engines, you might be able to recharge that sucker for non stop combat? Me and my crazy ideas!

Flashback.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Isn't this old news? Like old as hell news?

a reply to: StoolSample

No, it isn't.

Drone..bah...how about a hyper sonic missile?

a reply to: Xtrozero

Or, better yet, not putting all our eggs in one basket.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Seawhiz: bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Laser: pew pew. pew pew.

I don't know which is cooler. But shooting down missiles ain't ever easy. Kitchen sink is called for.

I also don't think the laser is up to the task quite yet.

a reply to: Phage

That's what I was talking about. Lasers will make a decent counter tti the hypersonic threat. We can't ignore defense in favor of offense, or vice versa.