US Military Will Install Laser Turrets on Bombers and Fighter Jets

How are they going to overcome the power requirements for said device? Many of these lasers run in the thousands of volt as well as high amperage range. That's a lot of power draw from the rest of the Aircraft. I'm sure it can be done, but at what sacrifice to the rest of the aircraft's performance. Forgive me, I'm not entirely Strike aircraft savvy to the degree to know it's electrical output, and supply but this seems like an awfully large draw for any small craft.

reply to post by Hijinx


They say in 2011 the key advancement in size was completed...

“Advances in diodes, cooling, lightweight electronics, pumps, optics, and metal structures have made shrinking the size and weight possible without losing laser effectiveness.

”www.darpa.mil...

Ten times smaller and lighter than current lasers of similar power;
150 kilowatt (kW) laser weapon system; enabling integration onto tactical aircraft with a weight goal
of less than five kilograms per kilowatt, and volume of three cubic meters for the laser system.

As I understand it, the turbulance is the factor they are working on now.

reply to post by TKDRL

What if they miss and burn out someone eyes below?

Haha, eyes are burned out with a regular consumer grade below 1w laser quite easily,

IF they miss with a 150Kw laser... they won´t burn your eyes out... they will disintegrate your entire head.

The current lasers, that would be capable of being fielded by 2014 require at minimum a C-130 sized plane. They're huge, and are going to be for a few more years, even with the miniaturization advances. We may eventually see fighters and bombers with them, but for now, we're going to see transports and gunships with them.

Originally posted by Aloysius the Gaul

There is no "debunking" on that thread - except for people pointing out the inaccuracies in the RT report - especially the headline - which, with it being RT, are to be expected! Heck the headline "drones NOW fitted with death ray laser" is contradicted by the opening sentence of the article

Where do you see that title, anywhere???

There is this quote :

Drones with Death Lasers are just around the bend.

- burntheships

... and this mention.

I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be hard for them to mount these on the vast array of UAVs in the field as well.

- eXia7

No one is saying they are already there.

My first though was how will they power the lasers..the power requirements must be huge.

My second thought was that these are pretty low power lasers, with 150kW being roughtly that generated by an 800cc sports motorcycle.

Would they be powerful enough to knock out a missile i wonder.

It's a fairly safe bet the next evolution in airframe and missile technology would include a mirrored finish...

reply to post by NeoVain


Ugh, well that makes me feel a whole lot better
guess it's time to start mirror coating the house and vehicles just in case
Think the tinfoil hat will work?

reply to post by Northwarden


He was talking about the RT article. The title of it claimed that UAVs already have lasers mounted on them and are flying around, when in the article it talked about future UAVs could possibly have lasers mounted.

reply to post by MysterX


The COIL on the YAL-1A was a megawatt class laser, and it required a 747-400 to carry it. That program was cancelled because even a megawatt class laser didn't have the range to destroy a missile without the aircraft flying over hostile territory.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Thats two posts for you Zaphod

www.fastcompany.com...

A German company has a laser that can shoot a drone down,
so they have to speed things up.

Lasers up, Lasers down...

reply to post by burntheships


There are a couple in the US too that recently shot down unmanned vehicles too. They're getting smaller, but not fast enough that we'll see them mounted in 2014.

reply to post by Zaphod58


I would agree, it might be late 2014 before they have them on high speed
fighter jets, though you never really know, they might already have them.

You just never really know.

In any case, they cant be shot down by lasers meant for drones...
so they better get in gear....

reply to post by burntheships


I've talked to a few people in the know with regard to directed energy weapons systems, and they all agree it is going to be a few more years at best. The smallest ones they've messed with required a C-130.

mirror paint.
something to invest in.

reply to post by Zaphod58


While I cant say ...

This is about 5 years old...


www.youtube.com...#!


A 150-kilowatt laser beam is powerful enough to destroy aircraft, they admit
they have that up and running. www.army-technology.com...

At least it is not the 50 year gap we have with craft.

reply to post by R3KR


These lasers will go right through it. The COIL system in the Airborne Laser program took 50% less time than they had modeled to go through a boosting missile skin and detonate it.

When a Country spends BILLIONS on its Black Budget for years, you can expect weapons systems to be developed, that no one will see, or has heard about. I am a firm believer that we haven't seen nothing yet, when it comes to Military Technology. They will show you what they want you to see. The other stuff? You just have to wait and see.......




S&F

Originally posted by Hijinx
How are they going to overcome the power requirements for said device?

Saft Battery powered, found a little bit more on it.

The third phase of development was completed in 2011. It involved successful testing of the laboratory scale laser module which replicates the same operational capability and geometry of the final weapon system.

In February 2011, DARPA reported to have developed two module laboratory cells that exceeded 34kW output. The small size of the single laser module was made possible with lightweight metallic structures, optics, electronics and advanced cooling systems. These modules will be further developed and interconnected to produce the targeted 150kW laser output.

The fourth phase will involve development of a ground-based Demonstrator Laser Weapon System (DLWS) for the programme. The final phase will involve fabrication, engineering, integration and demonstration of the HELLADS on a tactical platform. Integration of the system onto aircraft will significantly increase the efficiency of the weapon

www.airforce-technology.com...

reply to post by burntheships


The shooting down of Fighter Jets will be handled by the FEL or Free Electron Laser. All U.S. Navy Carriers and Aegis Cruisers will have FEL's installed. The CVN-78 Gerald R. Ford and the CVN-79 John F. Kennedy which will both be put to sea this decade will have FEL's which will be powered by those Carriers 2 A1B Nuclear Fission Reactors.

The FEL works similar to a Particle Beam in that it is not effected by Atmospheric Distortion and as Discover Magazine has reported a Nuclear Powered FEL aboard a Carrier will be able to vaporize a hole through 1000 ft. of SOLID STEEL IN SECONDS.

There are curently two land based FEL's and an few at sea currently operational as these Lasers will eventually be deployed along with a Prism Reflective Satellite System to create an impeneratrable U.S. Missile Shield.

Split Infinity

reply to post by SplitInfinity






Cleared for public release, not bad....2010

Free Electron Laser, USNavyResearch



www.youtube.com...