They've done it: Developed, demonstrated an effective laser weapon

[Viligant_Warrior]

Laser weapon blasts through truck

Lockheed Martin, the defense and security technology company, demonstrated the power of its Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) laser weapon system by blasting a small truck in a recent field test. According to the company, the demonstration was the highest power ever documented by this kind of laser weapon.

In the demonstration, the 30-kilowatt fiber laser weapon was able to disable the truck’s engine. The purpose of the test was to show the company’s innovations in developing weapons technology that is more precise.

The laser burnt through the truck engine in just a few seconds, after being fired from a mile away. The system is ground based, and employs the "spectral beam combining"technique, essentially focusing several fiber optic laser modules together in one powerful beam. The results of the test are pictured below.

 

[notuptome]

That would be handy if it is car mounted. Great way to deal with rush hour traffic.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

That would be handy if it is car mounted. Great way to deal with rush hour traffic.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Or the occasional, pesky Russian T-88 that might appear on the freeway.

 

[Lizathrose]

Or the occasional, pesky Russian T-88 that might appear on the freeway.

...I'm pretty sure this weapon wouldn't do anything at all against a tank except knock out some optics or some other external equipment.

 

[dcontroversal]

...I'm pretty sure this weapon wouldn't do anything at all against a tank except knock out some optics or some other external equipment.

Pretty sure huh! Now that is funny.......!

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

...I'm pretty sure this weapon wouldn't do anything at all against a tank except knock out some optics or some other external equipment.

Thanks for your expert input, being the armor specialist and laser engineer you are.

[/sarcasm]

Do you grasp the concept of a "joke"? Just curious.

 

[dcontroversal]

Thanks for your expert input, being the armor specialist and laser engineer you are.

[/sarcasm]

Do you grasp the concept of a "joke"? Just curious.

I do and surely she was joking because there is no way UNDER the SUN she could possible KNOW what it can or cannot do......!

 

[Lizathrose]

Thanks for your expert input, being the armor specialist and laser engineer you are.

[/sarcasm]

Do you grasp the concept of a "joke"? Just curious.

Yes, in fact -- I do. However, nothing in your post implied that you were joking as far as the weapon's efficacy versus a tank, even though the overall thrust of your post was humorous in nature.

 

[Oncefallen]

That would be handy if it is car mounted. Great way to deal with rush hour traffic.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Now all you need to do is find a passenger car that will carry a 30 kW generator

 

[Lizathrose]

I do and surely she was joking because there is no way UNDER the SUN she could possible KNOW what it can or cannot do......!

If the weapon were effective against high-grade tank armor, it'd be on track to making traditional tank cannons obsolete, and news of this would be everywhere. It isn't. The weapon's purpose is to disable cars, which are laughably flimsy by comparison to tanks.

 

[dcontroversal]

If the weapon were effective against high-grade tank armor, it'd be on track to making traditional tank cannons obsolete, and news of this would be everywhere. It isn't. The weapon's purpose is to disable cars, which are laughably flimsy by comparison to tanks.

This just goes to show you still dont know what you are talking about....if it can melt thru an engine block it can melt thru a TRACK and disable the tank......it can MELT the barrel and disable the gun.....it can be used on the (soft) points of a tank and on top of that I seen one on a NAVY DESTROYER a few MONTHS ago shoot down a MISSILE and a TEST plane.....Look...You are HOW old? and how much time have you spent in the military EXACTLY.....the truth is...you are flapping your lips and are out of your (EDUCATED) league......!

 

[Desdichado]

Is it feasible to deploy? I love the idea of a railgun, but that doesn't seem forthcoming.

 

[GodIsSalvation]

Me thinking you not using it for long. Either tech go back to dark age or they'll build a better one right soon enough.

This is not first laser I saw. US Navy made a laser cannon a few year back. Me thinks Americans simply watched too much Star Wars, now we're building lasers and robots.

 

[Champa]

Christians hailing the development of new killing tools .. That's the real joke.

 

[notuptome]

Now all you need to do is find a passenger car that will carry a 30 kW generator

I was hoping for an Energizer battery pack.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[Billyd]

Lisa, I left Military R an D in 1985. I observed a laser weapon prototype burn a hole in 2 inch armor plating in less than 1 sec then. I will assure you that things have progress a little bit since then. Maybe you should stay out of this one!

 

[TheAristocat]

Impressive piece of technology. I get the impression its power requirements make it relatively inefficient for large-scale use though. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Oncefallen]

Impressive piece of technology. I get the impression its power requirements make it relatively inefficient for large-scale use though. Correct me if I'm wrong.

The article says it's a 30 kW (30,000 watt) laser which may sound like a lot of electricity, but when you consider that a 50 gallon hot water tank needs 5,000 watts to operate it brings it more into perspective. A 30 kW generator (minus fuel tank) would comfortably fit into the bed of a one ton pickup. Of course I have no idea how large or heavy the weapon itself is, but the military doesn't typically design weapons that it can't readily transport.

An interesting read on the subject is the Wiki page on the LaWS weapon developed by the Navy which is already deployed.

Although at this point laser weaponry seem to only be useable as a short range (one mile) defensive weapon, the cost per shot (as compared to traditional ordinance or missiles) is a drop in the bucket at about $1 per shot vs thousands of dollars for traditional cannon shells and hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars per missile.

I would expect that with time and technology improvements the range will improve.

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

Yes, in fact -- I do. However, nothing in your post implied that you were joking as far as the weapon's efficacy versus a tank, even though the overall thrust of your post was humorous in nature.

"A T-88 on a freeway" didn't give you a clue it was a joke?? Nonetheless, burnning through an engine block is impressive enough to tell me it can burn through a Russian -- or any other -- tank or armored vehicle.

Either you have no sense of humor, or you are a knee-jerk poster who thinks the first three words tell you what a post says. And your posing as the resident intellectual wears thinner and thinner with each passing comment that proves otherwise, but you're still kinda fun to have around. Perhaps you would do well to take Billy's advice:

Lisa, I left Military R an D in 1985. I observed a laser weapon prototype burn a hole in 2 inch armor plating in less than 1 sec then. I will assure you that things have progress a little bit since then. Maybe you should stay out of this one!