Laser cannons to become available for fighter jets?

Whity · by **Whity** » 26 Aug 2005, 11:18

Reuters is reporting that the US Pentagon is designing a laser cannon that's small enough to fit onto a fighter jet yet powerful enough to knock out a missile:

Reuters wrote:Airborne laser brings Star Wars one step closer

The invention could make air combat resemble a battle scene from Star Wars, with a laser so small it can fit on a fighter jet, yet powerful enough to knock down an enemy missile in flight.

The High Energy Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS), being designed by the Pentagon's central research and development agency, will weigh just 750 kg (1,650 lb) and measures the size of a large fridge.

To date, such lasers have been so bulky because of the need for huge cooling systems to stop them overheating, that they had to be fitted to large aircraft such as jumbo jets, New Scientist magazine reported on Wednesday.

But the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency reckons it has solved the problem by merging liquid and solid state lasers to cut the size and weight by "an order of magnitude," according to its Web site.

Liquid lasers can fire a continuous beam but need large cooling systems, while solid state laser beams are more intense but have to be fired in pulses to stop them overheating.

"We've combined the high energy density of the solid state laser with the thermal management of the liquid laser," New Scientist quoted project manager Don Woodbury as saying.

Dubbed the "HEL weapon" by its developers, a prototype capable of firing a mild one kilowatt (kW) beam has already been produced and there are plans to build a stronger 15-kW version by the end of the year.

If everything goes according to plan, an even more powerful weapon producing a 150-kW beam and capable of knocking down a missile will be ready by 2007 for fitting onto aircraft.

Source: Reuters

snypa777 · by **snypa777** » 26 Aug 2005, 13:53

Would a 150 KW beam be powerful enough to destroy a missile? How long would the beam have to be on a target? At what range? I suppose all this is classified. I will believe it when I see them in action. No doubt these weapons will be fielded in the future but the timeframe of 2007 seems a little unbelieveable.....I am sure special coatings can be developed to reduce a missile or aircrafts vunerability to such weapons. Now, if you are talking Megawatt class devices, that would be interesting!

Guysmiley · by **Guysmiley** » 26 Aug 2005, 19:45

I saw that article, I don't know if something the size and shape of a "large refrigerator" is really going to be hanging off of an F-16... but still a significant step forward.

Infinity16 · by **Infinity16** » 26 Aug 2005, 20:52

Wow, now maybe the guns on the Raptor and the F-35 will have more use then first thought...

TC · by TC » 27 Aug 2005, 00:15

Oh man, this reminds me of a story I told in the travel pod thread. :lol:

A little background on this story: This happened during my brief stint on Eagles at Tyndall. I'll quote myself, because I'm lazy and I don't want to retype (yeah, it's been a long d@mn week and I need a brew). Anyway, here goes...Enjoy!

TC wrote:A group Russian AF Fulcrum and Flanker drivers came to Tyndall to visit. We were doing a chute and kit pull on one of the Eagles, when one of the drivers, nicknamed "Shotgun" came up giving a dog and pony show to some of the Russians.

This bird had just come back from Red Flag, and was due for the chute and kit pull when it returned. It still had a travel pod, and one of the curious Russians pointed it out. This was the dialogue between the Russkie and Shotgun.

"What is this is?"

"Uh...That's the Battery Pack!" (right away, we're biting our lips to keep from losing it)

"Battery Pack?"

"Yeah for the Laser Cannon!" (I'm trying hard to keep it togther at this point).

"Laser Cannon?...Ah! Laser Target Designator, yes?"

"No the Laser Cannon! You know, like Star Wars!" (resistance is fading quickly here)

"NO!...Not even in Russia do we have such technology!"
"Shotgun" later said in the Life Support shop, "I wanted to say 'Well that's what it is, you pinko Russkie b@$tard!'" but he didn't.

Russian pilot then goes to a nearby Crew Dog...

"What is this is?"

"Uh...That's the Battery Pack!"

Russian pilot walks away very perplexed!

Yeah, I have a feeling we're a long way from a small laser cannon small enough for a fighter. 'Til then, we now have the M-61A2 (Raptor got it first).

Beers and MiGs were made to be pounded!

Guysmiley · by **Guysmiley** » 27 Aug 2005, 01:37

snypa777 · by **snypa777** » 28 Aug 2005, 14:52

Exclusive!!!! I have a pic of the Lockheed future fighter concept complete with laser cannons!!!!! I think we are likely to see the first prototype flying at the nearest Toys R us shortly!

Dammerung · by **Dammerung** » 28 Aug 2005, 16:14

TC wrote:Oh man, this reminds me of a story I told in the travel pod thread [...]

HILARITY!

Angels225 · by **Angels225** » 01 Sep 2005, 18:12

Wonder when we can expect the USAF to include using the "force" in its training syllabi..

future BVR shots will have missiles guided by the "force"

Wonder what future radio conversations will be like:
"Red group .. we have to destroy that shield.."
(replace stardestroyers with mobile kuzetnov's on tank tracks)..(the death star is a huge bunker with hundreds of cannons)
expect raptors to act as X-wings and JSF's like Y-wings..