Laser warfare takes to the high seas

A new type of laser weapon system touted as the holy grail of military lasers took a step closer to reality last week when Boeing Directed Energy Systems announced the successful completion of the initial design of the U.S. Navy’s Free Electron Laser (FEL).

blogs.zdnet.com...

Quite interesting. I think in Naval warfare, the limitation of line of sight for engaging target might make this system only useful in an air defense type role.

Any thoughts?

First thing that popped into my head was the sinking S. Korea vessel last week. Unknown explosion breaks a ship nearly in half. Hmmm.....

On topic though, this is quite interesting. Seems laser tech is finally getting to the point we were all told it would be when we were young.

I do agree, line of sight would be an issue, but with gps capability and todays high tech navigation, a ship doesnt necessarily have to be able to see another to be able to locate it.

reply to post by captaintyinknots


I agree, but the laser only fires in a straight line (it is not ballistic in nature).

Definitely a limiting factor when choosing targets.

Originally posted by BomSquad
reply to post by captaintyinknots

 

I agree, but the laser only fires in a straight line (it is not ballistic in nature).

Definitely a limiting factor when choosing targets.

Very true, and having them airborn would be far more effective.

Honestly, I have to wonder where the advantage of this on a ship would be over say a rail gun. Both are straight line, high power shooters. Both are designed to breach the hull.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this tech develops.

reply to post by captaintyinknots


A rail gun, while extremely fast, is still a physical projectile that would follow a ballistic path.

I guess a laser system with a very fast target acquisition and aiming system could conceivably even take out a ballistic projectile or incoming cruise missile. It would be much harder to do that with a rail gun (hitting a bullet with a bullet).

Yes the LOS issue would be a problem. Maybe if the beam is not subject to atmospheric scattering(ala high enough power) maybe it could be bounced off the mirror which is attached to a satellite in space.
More info!
www.nrl.navy.mil...

The weapons system began as an airborne platform.

Recently the military issued a contract to Oshkosh Corp. to supply the truck which will haul the land-borne version.

If the weapon is pulsed it might set up a pressure wave and
be very powerful.
Didn't read about it or check the posts but I assumes it is not a light
laser with a light trigger or light amplification.

ED:
1935-07-11: Tesla, 79, Promises to Transmit Force
www.tesla.hu...


[edit on 3/29/2010 by TeslaandLyne]

The key element to the land based system is having a power source that can power these high energy weopons..thus in vehicular applications these drive the need for a heftier alternator.

From the OP article:

The shipboard FEL will focus a lethal 100-kilowatt beam at surface and air threats, future anti-ship cruise missiles or a swarm of small boats.

Can't say they are barking up the wrong tree but voltage is
where the force is at.
A pulsed generated voltage pressure and then the force reaction of
destruction at the focus, perhaps with two required a Bearden pointed
out with longitudinal waves.

reply to post by BlackProjects
I know that they were experimenting with a braked flywheel design, though I don't know how that turned out.
That was for storing the energy in a vehicular application.

Fairly recent update on one of the vehicular tests
boeing.mediaroom.com...

Originally posted by BlackProjects
Fairly recent update on one of the vehicular tests
boeing.mediaroom.com...

It would be nice to see if a craft is shattered to bits or somehow
otherwise disabled. We do not see official photo.

Vibration technology might be used as in the case of the Mantell
flight against a weather balloon (official story).

Rivets were shaken loose from the vibrations around a ship he
chased that seems unaffected by vibrations(conspiracy theory).