Lockheed Successfully Tests Laser Beam Director at Near Sonic Speeds

Lockheed put out a press release about their work with DARPA and the AFRL to test a new beam director for lasers. This one is significantly different from base beam directors and is meant to be used by fighters, bombers, etc. Or at least be the demonstrator for beam directors that will be used on such aircraft.

A countermeasure to those pesky supersonic birds hatched over in Russia and China.

originally posted by: trifecta
A countermeasure to those pesky supersonic birds hatched over in Russia and China.

Can you say Cockpit head shots?

a reply to: yuppa

This for the zombie aircraft???

A bit more seriously, if you can bag all the missile coming at you...oh man.

All this LASER tech recently , are there similar projects for land based use or do they all come under one banner ?

a reply to: yittak

The High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator is one such program for the US Army.

Solid state lasers are here and ready (finally). Lockheed does fiber lasers. General Atomics has the HELLADS. Northrop has their own. For some reason, I think Raytheon even has one, but not sure.

Its not a question of technology now. Its just a willingness to spend the money.

a reply to: anzha

Raytheon does have them:

www.raytheon.com...

Boeing too:

www.boeing.com...

originally posted by: trifecta
A countermeasure to those pesky supersonic birds hatched over in Russia and China.

So they counter with a counter and technology moves on!

originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: yuppa

This for the zombie aircraft???

A bit more seriously, if you can bag all the missile coming at you...oh man.

A cockpit to a laser might as well not even be there. With satellite uplink th e laser could target BVR and kill the pilot. OR decompress it or shatter it. try flying a airplane with a mach one wind in your face. ALso thos eradars usually cant detect a stealth craft until its well within range o f its missiles in a AcTIVE ECM environmant.

The laser will prolly be point defense laser to shoot down incoming missiles though.

a reply to: yuppa

6th gen I suspect we will see them more and more be offensive.

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: yuppa

6th gen I suspect we will see them more and more be offensive.

True. one day they will replace missiles OR w e might se e missiles with them on them as warheads to literally cut a airplane to peices.

originally posted by: yuppa

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: yuppa

6th gen I suspect we will see them more and more be offensive.

True. one day they will replace missiles OR w e might se e missiles with them on them as warheads to literally cut a airplane to peices.

Oh the possibilities!

originally posted by: yuppa

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: yuppa

6th gen I suspect we will see them more and more be offensive.

True. one day they will replace missiles OR w e might se e missiles with them on them as warheads to literally cut a airplane to peices.

Made me think of something interesting. After a laser system cuts the plane into ribbons, it projects a hologram to the enemy base of their sliced up plane on a serving tray like a tray of h'orderves. Adding psychological humiliation at the enemy along with their ruined aircraft.

a reply to: NoCorruptionAllowed

We are a long way from the power levels it will take to slice, dice, and julienne fry aircraft and missiles... We're at the damage sensors, blind pilots and compromise flight controls on a good day. This is why the focus is on airborne systems as opposed to land or sea based lasers as aircraft and missiles are the most vulnerable and it takes little damage to compromise airworthiness/mission capabilities.

originally posted by: Mirthful Me
a reply to: NoCorruptionAllowed

We are a long way from the power levels it will take to slice, dice, and julienne fry aircraft and missiles... We're at the damage sensors, blind pilots and compromise flight controls on a good day. This is why the focus is on airborne systems as opposed to land or sea based lasers as aircraft and missiles are the most vulnerable and it takes little damage to compromise airworthiness/mission capabilities.

Those new fusion generators that fit into a vehicle would come in handy, good thing LM claims they solved it ....

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed

originally posted by: yuppa

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: yuppa

6th gen I suspect we will see them more and more be offensive.

True. one day they will replace missiles OR w e might se e missiles with them on them as warheads to literally cut a airplane to peices.

Made me think of something interesting. After a laser system cuts the plane into ribbons, it projects a hologram to the enemy base of their sliced up plane on a serving tray like a tray of h'orderves. Adding psychological humiliation at the enemy along with their ruined aircraft.

That would be hilarious Oh an ddont forget the eat at joes neon sign flashing behind it.

a reply to: NoCorruptionAllowed

I like your brain...that would be the cherry on top.

originally posted by: yuppa

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed

originally posted by: yuppa

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: yuppa

6th gen I suspect we will see them more and more be offensive.

True. one day they will replace missiles OR w e might se e missiles with them on them as warheads to literally cut a airplane to peices.

Made me think of something interesting. After a laser system cuts the plane into ribbons, it projects a hologram to the enemy base of their sliced up plane on a serving tray like a tray of h'orderves. Adding psychological humiliation at the enemy along with their ruined aircraft.

That would be hilarious Oh an ddont forget the eat at joes neon sign flashing behind it.

A flashing "eat at joe's" in multiple colors! That would scare the ever loving hell out of an enemy. (I mean really scare them bad). eta: And denying we did that would scare them even worse. They would lay down all arms and surrender to the whole world.

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed

originally posted by: yuppa

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed

originally posted by: yuppa

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: yuppa

6th gen I suspect we will see them more and more be offensive.

True. one day they will replace missiles OR w e might se e missiles with them on them as warheads to literally cut a airplane to peices.

Made me think of something interesting. After a laser system cuts the plane into ribbons, it projects a hologram to the enemy base of their sliced up plane on a serving tray like a tray of h'orderves. Adding psychological humiliation at the enemy along with their ruined aircraft.

That would be hilarious Oh an ddont forget the eat at joes neon sign flashing behind it.

A flashing "eat at joe's" in multiple colors! That would scare the ever loving hell out of an enemy. (I mean really scare them bad).

eta: And denying we did that would scare them even worse. They would lay down all arms and surrender to the whole world.

WHat about a hologram of Abraham with a flaming sword cutting it up instead? i hear in 67 tey say they saw a image of him in jerusalem. IF thats true. thats cool.

I'm sure this is nonsensical fanboy wish-listing, but I wonder how feasible it'd be (when everything has matured) to load up a large missile with an AESA radar - similar to Russia's new toy, give it a slow burn so it gets some decent air time, and load it full of lazing equipment. Enemy sees you coming and fires of two, three, four missiles? Have a dedicated aircraft fire off one of those and have it zap them as they come towards you, or at least directly blind the seeker head. By being independent of the aircraft it could get closer - which means less atmospheric diffusion - and hopefully blind them to the point they can turn and chase the evading aircraft in time.

Easier, I think, to make a dedicated munition in the short-medium term than introduce lazing equipment of similar power into the aircraft itself.

Maybe incorporate some Tacit Rainbow thinking and have it loiter in the area after it hits the initial targets, then fly/glide/parachute as close to possible to friendly territory so the capacitors/batteries can be replaced and the missile reloaded when possible.