Laser guns may be about to move from science fiction to reality.
A U.S. Navy vessel deployed in the Persian Gulf has successfully operated a mounted laser gun for several months, according to Navy officials. The laser weapon system, known as LaWS, was installed on the USS Ponce in late summer and went through operational demonstrations from September to November.
A collaborative effort between the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Research Laboratory, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division and industry partners, the LaWS prototype was seamlessly integrated with the ship’s existing defense systems. With the USS Ponce as an afloat forward staging base, sailors used a video game-like controller to successfully lock on to and destroy a variety of targets.
A video released shows the LaWS directing a high-energy, invisible burst that causes “asymmetric threats” (quickly tacking targets, such as small speed boats and unmanned aerial vehicles) to catch flame. The weapon, which has been tested in increasingly involved maritime settings for years, is praised for its reliability and maintainability, having successfully weathered sandstorms, heat and humidity during testing.
The LaWS, powered by onboard generators, has exceeded precision and range expectations while operating at less than a dollar a shot. It can address threats with escalating strength, from disabling to destroying, while increasing safety and speed versus traditional kinetic weapons. Data from the Ponce prototype will be used to guide how ONR’s Solid-State Laser-Technology Maturation program can benefit combat-ready systems for surface ships and beyond.
“Laser weapons are powerful, affordable and will play a vital role in the future of naval combat operations,” said Rear Adm. Matthew L. Klunder, chief of naval research, in the news release.
LaWS and other recent developments will be discussed or displayed at the Naval Future Force Science and Technology EXPO in February 2015.
