Friday, March 17, 2017

U.S. Army To Begin Testing A New Laser Weapon This Summer

A rendering showing what Lockheed Martin’s 60-killowatt laser might look like when deployed on one of the Army’s Family of Military Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) trucks. A Lockheed Martin spokesman said the laser beam would not actually be red and would not be visible when deployed. The red coloring was added for effect. (Lockheed Martin)

Washington Post: Lockheed Martin says it’s ready to hand over laser weapon to Army for testing

Lockheed Martin said Thursday it has finished a 60-kilowatt laser system for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and is preparing to hand it over to the Army for further testing. In initial tests, the company achieved 58 kilowatts of power but expects its laser to reach its full potential by the time of its delivery in the next few months.

The laser is what the company calls a “combined fiber” laser beam, bringing together individual lasers to form a single, stronger beam. Lockheed has been testing it at an installation in Bothell, Wash., and plans to ship it to an Army installation in Huntsville, Ala., in the next few months.

“We’re really at the dawn of an era of the utility of laser weapons,” said Robert Afzal, senior fellow for laser and sensor systems at Lockheed Martin. The Army’s specialized military vehicles “can now carry something which is small enough and powerful enough for what we believe will be militarily useful.”

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More News On The U.S. Army To Begin Testing A New Laser Weapon This Summer

US Army to Test Powerful New Truck-Mounted Laser ‘Within Months’ -- Defense One
US Army gets world record-setting 60-kW laser -- Defense News
Lockheed Martin designs future U.S. Army laser vehicle -- UPI
Army prepares truck-mounted laser weapon test after record-breaking demo -- Washington Times
US Army to trial 60 kW laser for vehicle-mounted air defence -- IHS Jane's 360
Lockheed Completes Design, Development of Mobile Laser Weapon for US Army -- Sputnik

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