Navy Ship Uses High Powered Laser To Shoot Down Drone During At Sea Test

Don't count out missiles just yet. A missile can follow its target even when the target is taking evasive action. Heat-seeking and radar-guided missiles have their own little brains allowing them to change direction. A laser shoots in a straight line, though instantly, but it must be perfectly aimed. I think there is room for both in any competent arsenal.

originally posted by: Maxatoria
The thing is with slapping a mega laser onto a plane you are going to need a hell of a lot of juice stored up in battery form and the replenishment of it is going to have to be fast as its not going to be much use with a once every 5 mins time.

Can remember seeing those chemical tanks that they had with one that was attached to a 747 i think and it was massive and only good for 30-40 shots before needing to be replaced and the stuff was highly toxic.

Just can't really see it making it to fighter level craft but more the cargo sized planes that are designed to handle the weight and putting an extra 20% in fuel carrying to cover the generation along with the very heavy duty wiring won't be a problem.

Ya, we better get to the dilithium crystals stage for fighters...lol

Batteries are getting better and everything is getting smaller, so who knows. As I see a good deal of cutting edge stuff it is amazing what we have today compared to just 10 years ago. Something that was a 40 pound beast just 10 years ago is now like 4 pounds and better.

originally posted by: schuyler
Don't count out missiles just yet. A missile can follow its target even when the target is taking evasive action. Heat-seeking and radar-guided missiles have their own little brains allowing them to change direction. A laser shoots in a straight line, though instantly, but it must be perfectly aimed. I think there is room for both in any competent arsenal.

Then Laser Missiles?

a reply to: Arnie123

Missiles with fricken laser beams attached to their heads.

a reply to: Xtrozero

That was the ALL. There were two aircraft. One had the canoe on top of the fuselage, with the laser mounted. The other had various targets painted on the side of the fuselage, used to calibrate the laser.

originally posted by: Phage

Missiles with fricken laser beams attached to their heads.

Well if you can do it with sea bass why not?

originally posted by: Arnie123

originally posted by: schuyler
Don't count out missiles just yet. A missile can follow its target even when the target is taking evasive action. Heat-seeking and radar-guided missiles have their own little brains allowing them to change direction. A laser shoots in a straight line, though instantly, but it must be perfectly aimed. I think there is room for both in any competent arsenal.

Then Laser Missiles?

That would require the energy source ot be on the missile. How much does a rig like that weigh and how big is it? Don't know myself; asking for a friend.

a reply to: schuyler

There are chemical lasers. One shot deals.
I don't know the weight requirements of such a system.

Great, now when are those Shield Generators coming soon? Been waiting for the navy to upgrade to Space battleships. I mean floating battle fortresses.

originally posted by: makemap
Great, now when are those Shield Generators coming soon? Been waiting for the navy to upgrade to Space battleships. I mean floating battle fortresses.

Those are called Carrier Strike Groups.

a reply to: schuyler

Works on paper.

a reply to: Zaphod58

So they will coat all aircraft with silver, which will reflect the rays off, and cause the price of silver to spike?

originally posted by: schuyler

originally posted by: makemap
Great, now when are those Shield Generators coming soon? Been waiting for the navy to upgrade to Space battleships. I mean floating battle fortresses.

Those are called Carrier Strike Groups.

Being space, wouldn't the nomenclature be akin to "Battlefleet Strike Group"?

a reply to: anonentity

Won't work nearly as well as people seem to think it would.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Increasing the price of silver? Sure it would. Supply and demand.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: schuyler

Works on paper.

Works in practice. I wouldn't want to go up against the Chinese or Russians, but for the kind of wars, er, "police actions" these things tend to work pretty well. Seven carriers at sea right now, not counting the Marine Expeditionary carriers. That is A LOT of firepower at once. I'm wondering if there is an issue because I have never seen seven at once before. Usually half are in port for some sort of refit.

a reply to: schuyler

I've seen it before. There are seven at sea, but mostly doing post maintenance workups and exercises. They are catching up with maintenance finally, so more are going to be available.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: mysterioustranger

That was part of a different program, and was a different laser. The original laser, which was installed on the Ponce, was the Laser Weapons System(LaWS). It was a 30kW laser designed for low end threats. The laser on Portland is the Solid State Laser- Technology Demonstrator (SSL-TD). It took what was learned from LaWS, and was developed into a 150kW solid state laser.

Yes, sir. Only noting installed lasers...have been mounted since 2014....and on large planes as well...not that this is the 1st.

I do have a friend, career military...whose been on lasers w the Navy...since 2005, on board vessels....

Not sure his classification

If you split the laser into two, does it have half the power?

originally posted by: mysterioustranger

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: mysterioustranger

That was part of a different program, and was a different laser. The original laser, which was installed on the Ponce, was the Laser Weapons System(LaWS). It was a 30kW laser designed for low end threats. The laser on Portland is the Solid State Laser- Technology Demonstrator (SSL-TD). It took what was learned from LaWS, and was developed into a 150kW solid state laser.

Yes, sir. Only noting installed lasers...have been mounted since 2014....and on large planes as well...not that this is the 1st.

I do have a friend, career military...whose been on lasers w the Navy...since 2005, on board vessels....

Not sure his classification

Probably Class 4 - 500mW+