Navy: New laser weapon works, ready for action

[FordGT90Concept]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/11/tech/innovation/navy-laser-weapon/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

USS Ponce has successfully engaged targets and has been given the okay to use the weapon system for defense. The 21st century of warfare, it hath arrived.

 

[newconroer]

I hope no one falls asleep at the comms desk and their head hits the fire button. I know, that could happen with fueled missiles too, but at least we can shoot those down if there's an accident.

We don't need sharks with lasers on their heads, we got carriers with lasers...

 

[RCoon]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/11/tech/innovation/navy-laser-weapon/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

USS Ponce has successfully engaged targets and has been given the okay to use the weapon system for defense. The 21st century of warfare, it hath arrived.

The best part of this is that it's controlled with what appears to be a heavily modified XBox 360 controller. Welcome to the future, when warship lasers will be best controlled by 12 year old console gamers.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Edit: I'm not sure what the controller is controlling. It could be the boat, it could be the drone, or it could be the weapon. I wouldn't be surprised if it will ultimately had a guidance system like the CIWIS has.

 

[twilyth]

The main problem with laser weapons is that they dissipate with distance. So this one is probably only good for short range, slow moving targets. To be a true beam weapon, you have to be able to deliver large amounts of power in short bursts over long distances. But there seems to be a way to make the atmosphere more conducive to beam weapons like lasers.

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/superfast-laser-pulses-could-pave-way-beam-weapons

To traverse meters or kilometers through the atmosphere intact, laser beams have to be released in short, intense pulses. But at about 50 quadrillionths of a second in duration, such pulses can’t deliver enough sustained energy to remotely power an aircraft or burn a hole through an incoming intercontinental ballistic missile.

Howard Milchberg, who leads the intense laser-matter interactions group at the University of Maryland in College Park, wondered if he could use those rapid, low-energy pulses to clear the way for a longer-duration, higher-energy laser beam. A single pulse wouldn’t do the trick, his team found, but multiple adjacent pulses fired simultaneously just might.

In a recent experiment, Milchberg and his team fired four quick laser pulses in a square configuration. The quartet of pulses cut through the air, heating and disturbing molecules in its wake. The result was a single high-density region surrounded by a shell of lower-density air. Essentially, the pulses carved out a conducting wire for light in the air: a laser-friendly core enclosed by an insulating layer.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

The ABL experimented with adaptive lenses that would maintain the laser's power over long distances (the goal was 300-600 km depending on the type of missile). Robert Gates said they would need a laser 20-30 times more powerful to reach the range they wanted so if we take the middle value and the longest range, YAL-1 had an effective range of about 24 km. That's nothing to scoff at.

Land and sea-based lasers should be able to attain higher power levels but aren't so effective at counter-ICBM roles. I think the fact they turned their attention to the USS Ponce with LaWS and LaWS has exceeded expectations is good news for the future of beam weapons.


As to the link, I'm pretty sure this laser doesn't implement this "corridor" idea. It'll be interesting to see if the idea pans out over kilometers worth of distance. If it does, the ABL may be able to be pulled out of the scrapyard sooner than anticipated.

 

[stinger608]

Actually it appears that the USS Ponce has been deployed to the Gulf:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/1...y_laser_cannon_ship_to_persian_gulf_war_zone/

Now we shall see what this system can do. I guess it really only has a range of about a mile though.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

That's a farther range than the M2 (Browning .50 cal) and about the same as the CIWIS. Costs substantially less to fire (~$1 per shot) and could potentially just kill a single target on the boat too. Seems like win-win-win to me.

We'll see how it handles active duty though. If it does as well as the tests, I could see all Navy ships trading their CIWIS for LaWS.

 

[twilyth]

According to Wikipedia, the CWIS has an effective range of over 2 miles and is designed to handle fast moving targets like missiles and artillery - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx_CIWS. You need a lot more power to destroy objects like that especially given the window off opportunity you have and how much power you can deliver per unit of time. CIWS essentially creates a wall of steel in mid-air.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

On second thought, should keep CIWS around just for the intimidation factor (test fires for the first 1:30 of the video and tracks after that):

According to Wikipedia, the CWIS has an effective range of over 2 miles and is designed to handle fast moving targets like missiles and artillery - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx_CIWS. You need a lot more power to destroy objects like that especially given the window off opportunity you have and how much power you can deliver per unit of time. CIWS essentially creates a wall of steel in mid-air.

I think LaWS will eventually reach the point where it is more effective than CIWS but it will probably require fusion power plants on ships first. LaWS current mission is engaging drones and small water craft.

I wonder when USS Zumwalt will get a LaWS.

 

[D007]

The best part of this is that it's controlled with what appears to be a heavily modified XBox 360 controller. Welcome to the future, when warship lasers will be best controlled by 12 year old console gamers.

I'm going to assume you are kidding. Analog control offers plainly advantageous benefits.
It's no wonder they use them.
I seriously doubt he is aiming with that though.

 

[RCoon]

I wonder when USS Zumwalt will get a LaWS.

Isn't Zumwalt the first to get 2 mounted railguns once they're approved and manufactured though?

Railguns AND laser cannons is just spoiling the damn thing.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

It has two turbine engines generating 48 MW so...they can put anything on it they want that will stay under that threshold.

As far as I know, the railgun project isn't advancing as fast as LaWS. I suspect it might be because of rapid wear and tear to rail itself which makes it impractical deployed.


Edit: Arleigh Burke class actually had 4 x 22 MW engines. Zumwalt has 2 x 40 MW engines.