{"id":24577,"date":"2021-09-02T17:29:32","date_gmt":"2021-09-02T17:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/09\/02\/house-committee-fears-gap-in-industrial-capability-to-power-laser-weapons\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:02:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:02:00","slug":"house-committee-fears-gap-in-industrial-capability-to-power-laser-weapons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2021\/09\/02\/house-committee-fears-gap-in-industrial-capability-to-power-laser-weapons\/","title":{"rendered":"House committee fears gap in industrial capability to power laser weapons"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The House Armed Services Committee adopted an amendment into its markup of the fiscal 2022 defense policy bill that would make the Pentagon report on its investment strategy for developing power and thermal management systems that enable laser weapons<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe [c]ommittee notes with concern the recent decision by a major defense contractor<\/a> to exit the Directed Energy Mobile Short-Range Air Defense program<\/a> following repeated failure of its power and thermal management system,\u201d the amendment, submitted by Rep. James Langevin (D-Rhode Island), states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense News first reported Northrop Grumman was no longer in the running to build a DE Maneuver-SHORAD<\/a> prototype for the U.S. Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While testing the 50-kilowatt laser module on the weapon late last year, a fire broke out related to the power and thermal management system integrated onto the platform. Similar problems cropped up at a checkout of the system in January ahead of shoot-off schedule for the spring at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because Northrop was unable to meet criteria agreed upon at contract award at the check-out, it was unable to continue on in the competition, leaving just one team led by Raytheon in the running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program began in mid-2019 when the Army awarded KBR subsidiary Kord Technologies a contract to integrate a laser system on the vehicle. Kord, as the program\u2019s prime contractor, subsequently awarded subcontracts to Northrop and Raytheon teams to supply the laser module and it chose Honeywell-owned Rocky Research to supply the power and thermal managements system to both teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raytheon did not experience similar issues with the system, was able to successfully demonstrate the capability in the combat shoot-off, and the Army has decided to proceed in integrating three more modules on Stryker combat vehicles to make a Platoon\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\t