Solid State Laser News

[bobbymike]

From Air Force Magazine:

SOCOM Plans Fiscal 2022 Demonstration of High-Energy Laser on AC-130J

US Special Operations Command is planning an operational flight demonstration of a high-energy laser on an AC-130J at the end of Fiscal 2022, a senior SOCOM official told Air Force Magazine this week. Air Force Special Operations Command chief Lt. Gen. Brad Webb said in February he was “cautiously optimistic” the Air Force would get the funding to go ahead with plans to put lasers on gunships. Air Force Col. Melissa Johnson, program executive officer of SOCOM fixed wing aircraft, said in an emailed statement the command is in the process of purchasing subsystems. “In addition to subsystem component procurement, assembly, and ground test, development of structure to isolate aircraft vibrations and flight test of an optical window on AC-130J will be accomplished,” she said. The planned demonstration, she added, is aimed at informing future requirements—SOCOM’s use of a particular airframe for this demonstration “does not mean that will be the final answer for full-up operations,” she added. —Steve Hirsch

 

[bobbymike]

This is disconcerting if true?

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2153310/china-brings-star-wars-life-laser-ak-47-could-set-fire?utm_source=RC+Defense+Morning+Recon&utm_campaign=80c330a52d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_02_08_25&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_694f73a8dc-80c330a52d-81812733

The ZKZM-500 laser assault rifle is classified as being “non-lethal” but produces an energy beam that cannot be seen by the naked eye but can pass through windows and cause the “instant carbonisation” of human skin and tissues.

Ten years ago its capabilities would have been the preserve of sci-fi films, but one laser weapons scientist said the new device is able to “burn through clothes in a split second … If the fabric is flammable, the whole person will be set on fire”.

 

[TomcatViP]

I call this tech the "New Zyklon". Up to the United States of America to make something good out of it*.

*Where the Fr failed it

 

[marauder2048]

Raytheon designing U.S. Army laser
New weapon system will counter rocket, artillery and mortar attacks

MCKINNEY, Texas, July 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN)
is developing a 100 kW class laser weapon system preliminary design for integration
onboard the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles. This is a $10 million U.S. Army's
High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstration program contract.

HEL TVD, a U.S. Army science and technology demonstration program, is part of
the Army's Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 initiative.

"The beauty of this system is that it's self-contained," said Roy Azevedo, vice
president of Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Surveillance Systems at Raytheon's
Space and Airborne Systems business unit. "Multi-spectral targeting sensors,
fiber-combined lasers, power and thermal sub-systems are incorporated in a
single package. This system is being designed to knock out rockets, artillery or
mortar fire, or small drones."

Upon HEL TVD Program Option Two completion, the one supplier will be
awarded a system development and demonstration contract by the Army
to build and integrate a weapon system on the Family of Medium Tactical
Vehicles. A System, Development and Demonstration contract decision,
valued at nearly $130 million, is expected early in 2019.

 

[Jeb]

This is disconcerting if true?

The ZKZM-500 laser assault rifle is classified as being “non-lethal” but produces an energy beam that cannot be seen by the naked eye but can pass through windows and cause the “instant carbonisation” of human skin and tissues.

Ten years ago its capabilities would have been the preserve of sci-fi films, but one laser weapons scientist said the new device is able to “burn through clothes in a split second … If the fabric is flammable, the whole person will be set on fire”.

I don't think there's a big enough billboard for the PROVE IT that is echoing around the world right now.

 

[bobbymike]

http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/2018-07-02-Raytheon-designing-U-S-Army-laser

MCKINNEY, Texas, July 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is developing a 100 kW class laser weapon system preliminary design for integration onboard the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles. This is a $10 million U.S. Army's High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstration program contract.

Raytheon logo (PRNewsfoto/Raytheon)

HEL TVD, a U.S. Army science and technology demonstration program, is part of the Army's Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 initiative.

"The beauty of this system is that it's self-contained," said Roy Azevedo, vice president of Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Surveillance Systems at Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems business unit. "Multi-spectral targeting sensors, fiber-combined lasers, power and thermal sub-systems are incorporated in a single package. This system is being designed to knock out rockets, artillery or mortar fire, or small drones."

Upon HEL TVD Program Option Two completion, the one supplier will be awarded a system development and demonstration contract by the Army to build and integrate a weapon system on the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles. A System, Development and Demonstration contract decision, valued at nearly $130 million, is expected early in 2019.

 

[r16]

so ,over the weekend a couple of newspares (of the Party in power) declare their techs have a system mounted on the Otokar Cobra (which is about the same size with an Humwee) that was tested . Penetrating armour grade ship steel of 22 milimeters thick , from a distance of 500 meters . Having no clue on the state of the art these days , are these figures impressive ?

 

[sferrin]

 

[bring_it_on]

^Is there any official clarity on whether this is an SSL?

 

[sferrin]

^Is there any official clarity on whether this is an SSL?

What are other possibilities? ???

 

[bring_it_on]

It could be a Chemical laser...

 

[jsport]

It could be a Chemical laser...

The so called Hybrid SS&Chemical are always going to posses more output power. Pure SS is a bad addiction.

 

[Moose]

Lockheed-Dynetics team and Raytheon locked in battle to build 100-kilowatt laser for US Army.

 

[bobbymike]

https://www.army.mil/standto/archive_2018-09-19/?s_cid=standto

USASMDC/ARSTRAT currently has four directed energy efforts underway:

High Energy Laser Mobile Test Truck (HELMTT) - a 50 kilowatts (kW) class laser system integrated in a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT)

High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator (HELTVD) - an effort to integrate a 100 kW class laser system on a Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV)

Mobile Experimental High Energy Laser (MEHEL) - a Stryker-based 5 kW class laser system developed to inform requirements for future laser weapon systems and to support tactics, techniques, procedures and concept of operations development for high-energy laser weapons.

Multi-Mission High Energy Laser (MMHEL) - an effort to develop a Stryker-based 50 kW class laser demonstrator for a Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) solution. This will be a dedicated air defense system that can maneuver with brigade combat teams (BCTs) while providing air defense and fire support.

 

[TomcatViP]

The average cost per kill is approximately $30,
which shifts the engagement cost equation in favor of
U.S. forces. With the entire system on a single tactical
vehicle, the site’s defense strategy can be quickly
adjusted in response to a changing threat environment.
The High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator
will consist of a 100 kW-c

Link in the sources section of the above link

 

[fredymac]

Raytheon's entertaining scenarios for HEL defense. A 300KW level coupled with a full up beam control incorporating adaptive optics might knock down targets as fast as they show (at short range) but I'm not aware of a solid state HEL reaching that power. Also, the beam director shown looks smaller than desired for ranges beyond a few kilometers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-miBH10bdCs

 

[sferrin]

If they want to have a prayer of keeping up they better not have some dude with a game pad trying to take them out *facepalm*.

Imagine this many:

of these:

 

[fredymac]

If you are 5Km away, drones separated by a few meters might be in the angular range of beam control fast steering mirrors where the beam director would not have to rotate to cover multiple targets. Fast steering mirrors are either voicecoil or piezo driven so they can slew the beam very quickly.

At 5Km, a high speed racing drone moving at 200Km/hr would cover 0.65 degree/sec which is pretty slow for a gimbal. Tracking is implemented by the FSM mirrors which in turn off load any accumulated angles to the gimbal. If you are very close, that is another matter. 2 HEL units spaced several Km's apart might be able to perform mutual protection.

 

[sferrin]

If you are 5Km away, drones separated by a few meters might be in the angular range of beam control fast steering mirrors where the beam director would not have to rotate to cover multiple targets. Fast steering mirrors are either voicecoil or piezo driven so they can slew the beam very quickly.

At 5Km, a high speed racing drone moving at 200Km/hr would cover 0.65 degree/sec which is pretty slow for a gimbal. Tracking is implemented by the FSM mirrors which in turn off load any accumulated angles to the gimbal. If you are very close, that is another matter. 2 HEL units spaced several Km's apart might be able to perform mutual protection.

Thing is a weaponized swarm wouldn't be in a nice pretty formation. They'd be coming from every direction, bobbing and weaving all the way, using whatever local cover was available.

 

[jsport]

If you are 5Km away, drones separated by a few meters might be in the angular range of beam control fast steering mirrors where the beam director would not have to rotate to cover multiple targets. Fast steering mirrors are either voicecoil or piezo driven so they can slew the beam very quickly.

At 5Km, a high speed racing drone moving at 200Km/hr would cover 0.65 degree/sec which is pretty slow for a gimbal. Tracking is implemented by the FSM mirrors which in turn off load any accumulated angles to the gimbal. If you are very close, that is another matter. 2 HEL units spaced several Km's apart might be able to perform mutual protection.

The best counter drone swarm system is one's own armed drone swarm w/ better and survivable hardened drones able to destroy drone launch sites as well. ie your drones are not disposable stupid quadrotors.

 

[sferrin]

The best counter drone swarm system is one's own armed drone swarm w/ better and survivable hardened drones able to destroy drone launch sites as well. ie your drones are not disposable stupid quadrotors.

Drones armed with what? If your uber-drone costs 20 times that of a one-shot drone that's a losing battle $$$$. Like using a PAC-3 to take out a smart bomb. Sure, it works, until you run out of PAC-3s.

 

[bring_it_on]

Thing is a weaponized swarm wouldn't be in a nice pretty formation. They'd be coming from every direction, bobbing and weaving all the way, using whatever local cover was available.

This is why the solution that the USAF has selected Raytheon to demonstrate involves both an HPM and a HEL. Together, they will be able to disable or destroy a far greater number of drones than HEL alone. For further protection, you can increase the number of systems and mix them with other Electronic Attack and kinetic options.

 

[sferrin]

Thing is a weaponized swarm wouldn't be in a nice pretty formation. They'd be coming from every direction, bobbing and weaving all the way, using whatever local cover was available.

This is why the solution that the USAF has selected Raytheon to demonstrate involves both an HPM and a HEL. Together, they will be able to disable or destroy a far greater number of drones than HEL alone. For further protection, you can increase the number of systems and mix them with other Electronic Attack and kinetic options.

This, and it needs to be computer controlled. No way a human would be able to keep up.

 

[jsport]

Low density assets such DEW vehicles will never be able to protect dispersed general purpose forces from swarm attack. Even laser equipped Strykers are low density assets and can be individually overcome with a limited number of mixed fixed wing and VTOL UAS. Much like WWI this is an air superiority paradigm.

 

[bobbymike]

Thing is a weaponized swarm wouldn't be in a nice pretty formation. They'd be coming from every direction, bobbing and weaving all the way, using whatever local cover was available.

This is why the solution that the USAF has selected Raytheon to demonstrate involves both an HPM and a HEL. Together, they will be able to disable or destroy a far greater number of drones than HEL alone. For further protection, you can increase the number of systems and mix them with other Electronic Attack and kinetic options.

This, and it needs to be computer controlled. No way a human would be able to keep up.

With dwell or 'kill' times in the 10th of seconds

 

[jsport]

Thing is a weaponized swarm wouldn't be in a nice pretty formation. They'd be coming from every direction, bobbing and weaving all the way, using whatever local cover was available.

This is why the solution that the USAF has selected Raytheon to demonstrate involves both an HPM and a HEL. Together, they will be able to disable or destroy a far greater number of drones than HEL alone. For further protection, you can increase the number of systems and mix them with other Electronic Attack and kinetic options.

This, and it needs to be computer controlled. No way a human would be able to keep up.

With dwell or 'kill' times in the 10th of seconds

Material science is in favor of ever hardened skin UAS skin along w/ reactive maneuver. . Jam proof UAS are already easily produced not to mention those which autonomous w/ no RF inroads. DEW against UAS arms race leads to a losing DEW when it comes to swarms.

 

[bobbymike]

Lots of DEW talk

https://www.csis.org/events/reenergizing-missile-defense-enterprise-0

 

[fredymac]

Bland AFRL corporate video covering DE work. Another generic looking 6th gen fighter at 1:30 mark using a HEL to shoot down someone else's 6th gen fighter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmMSLcF24tg

 

[fredymac]

Not a weapon but interesting application of a high power laser (vs high energy laser). I suspect the reason you can have the beam pass over your fingers is similar to why a sparkler burning at 2000 deg F is not dangerous. Even so, you wouldn't point this at someone's eyes if they are anywhere close.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACGSzBXKONo&feature=youtu.be

 

[fredymac]

Chinese naval laser test bed. No info on size/power. Seems to lack a sealing window at the end of the telescope.

 

[quellish]

Chinese naval laser test bed. No info on size/power. Seems to lack a sealing window at the end of the telescope.

Great weather for a laser too.

 

[fredymac]

Air Force uses ground based DLWS as surrogate SHIELD laser to shoot down multiple air launched missiles. The DLWS is the HELLADS laser and the beam director looks like a refurbished ALL turret (60cm primary). No details on what missiles or altitudes of engagement.

http://www.airforcemag.com/Features...r-Weapon-Downs-Multiple-Missiles-in-Test.aspx

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://www.defensenews.com/industr...nveils-hybrid-power-system-for-laser-weapons/

 

[fredymac]

First actual HEL deployment. Raytheon HEL and HPM being sent to an overseas base (probably Afghanistan) to shoot down spy drones.

Two Raytheon systems—a laser and a high-power microwave—will deploy to an undisclosed overseas base this spring to defend them from prying eyes and potential mischief posed by commercial drones outfitted with cameras and even weapons

Air Force Magazine Article

 

[jsport]

HASC Chair on Mini-Nukes: 'We’re Not Trying to Manage a Nuclear War'

House Democrats don’t want to fund variable-yield nukes. The new chairman just explained why.

www.defenseone.com

"The House bill also strips out money for studies into next-generation missile interception concepts, such as space-based lasers and particle beams to destroy missiles on the launch pad. The Pentagon is hoping to study the concepts but Smith said that no missile defense technology would “stop sophisticated missiles from coming in” — and therefore, he has no interest in funding them and that is why strengthening conventional deterrence was so important. "

How do these house hot airs get a say? If ever there was someone who liked to hear himself bloviate,

 

[fredymac]

Raytheon HEL now likely deployed in Afghanistan.

 

[bobbymike]

HASC Chair on Mini-Nukes: 'We’re Not Trying to Manage a Nuclear War'

House Democrats don’t want to fund variable-yield nukes. The new chairman just explained why.

www.defenseone.com

"The House bill also strips out money for studies into next-generation missile interception concepts, such as space-based lasers and particle beams to destroy missiles on the launch pad. The Pentagon is hoping to study the concepts but Smith said that no missile defense technology would “stop sophisticated missiles from coming in” — and therefore, he has no interest in funding them and that is why strengthening conventional deterrence was so important. "

How do these house hot airs get a say? If ever there was someone who liked to hear himself bloviate,

Defense tech Luddites for my entire lifetime

 

[marauder2048]

"Directed Energy and Base Defense"

Dr. Don Shiffler AFRL (NDIA 2019 Armaments)

 

[sferrin]

HASC Chair on Mini-Nukes: 'We’re Not Trying to Manage a Nuclear War'

House Democrats don’t want to fund variable-yield nukes. The new chairman just explained why.

www.defenseone.com

"The House bill also strips out money for studies into next-generation missile interception concepts, such as space-based lasers and particle beams to destroy missiles on the launch pad. The Pentagon is hoping to study the concepts but Smith said that no missile defense technology would “stop sophisticated missiles from coming in” — and therefore, he has no interest in funding them and that is why strengthening conventional deterrence was so important. "

How do these house hot airs get a say? If ever there was someone who liked to hear himself bloviate,

Whenever I see something like this my first reactions is, "must be a democrat". Haven't been wrong yet.

 

[bobbymike]

Northrop and Raytheon to compete to build laser weapon for short-range air defense

Northrop and Raytheon will compete to build a 50-kilowatt-class laser that will be integrated onto interim Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense Systems.

www.defensenews.com