Northrop Grumman success in building laser chain for solid state laser gun
Source: Northrop Grumman
Usable laser guns are one of the technological aims of the American military. Northrop Grumman is one of a handful of companies that have the experience and financial background to push R&D to levels that could potentially spawn weapons that be used in the battlefield. It has recently succeeded in producing a laser chain of 15.3 KW. As 100 KW is considered as the absolute minimum usable power, many chains could be combined to form powerful units.
The Joint High-Powered Solid State Laser (JHPSSL) Phase 3 program exceeded all expectations and progress is brisk. The 100 KW system will be ready for demo before the end of 2008. However, a laser gun becomes truly usable when it has a power rating of 500 MW or more. As plans call for use in ships, aircraft and land vehicles, deployment will take a lot of further development for two simple reasons:
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The bulk of many combined lasew chains allows use in ship maybe, but not in aircraft or land vehicles.
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The power rating of the laser implies huge energy reserves that are simply not available when the carrier vehicle is displaced.
Current laser technologies require chemicals for the creation of the beam, much like heavy industrial robots. Therefore, their future is not very bright as they are heavy and hazardous.
So what can one make of all this? Is it pointless R&D? In my opinion, not in the longer term. Despite the difficulties with lasers, current technologies are reaching their limits and require ammunition that is any army’s logistical nightmare. Usable lasers will give a significant edge to the force that uses them first, making the US armed forces obsession with laser quite understandable.
Link 1: PrimeNewswire
Link 2: Register
