Think Tank: US Should Develop More Directed Energy Weapons

Analysts Suggest US Develop More Directed Energy Weapons -- Executive Government

Analysts suggest the U.S. should focus on developing directed energy weapons to counter future assaults on U.S. military’s freedom of movement, Defense News reports.

The Washington-based Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments issued a report Thursday suggesting the U.S. would benefit from using alternately-powered weapons to respond to precision-guided cruise and ballistic missiles from state and non-state groups.

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More News On The Washington-Based Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments Recommending The Adoption of Directed Energy Weapons

Think Tank: DoD Should Focus On Directed Energy Weapons -- Defense News
Changing the Game: The Promise of Directed-Energy Weapons -- Defpro
Study recommends deploying lasers on ships, bases and planes -- Stars and Stripes

WNU Editor: The full report is here.

Directed Energy Weapons Show Promise In Recent Test

Photo: The Advanced Tactical Laser in flight. (Credit: Ed Turner/Boeing)

Boeing Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) Successfully Engages Ground Target in Flight Test -- Def Pro News

September 1, 2009 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. | The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Air Force on Aug. 30 defeated a ground target from the air with the Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) aircraft, demonstrating ATL's first air-to-ground, high-power laser engagement of a tactically representative target.

During the test, the C-130H aircraft took off from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and fired its high-power chemical laser through its beam control system while flying over White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The beam control system acquired the ground target -- an unoccupied stationary vehicle -- and guided the laser beam to the target, as directed by ATL's battle management system. The laser beam's energy defeated the vehicle.

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More News On This Test

Boeing’s New Death Beam Zaps Vehicle -- The Danger Room
Boeing destroys ground target with laser weapon -- Examiner
Secret US spontaneous human combustion beam tested -- The Register
Boeing Advanced Tactical Laser aircraft kills ground vehicle -- Seattle PI
Airborne Laser Zaps Ground Target -- Weekly Standard

My Comment: When I first heard about this test on Sunday, I just posted the news in my regular 6:00 AM posting on Military and Intelligence News Updates. It only hit me this afternoon that this is very big news. It indicates to me that a number of technical and engineering problems have been solved, and that testing can now go full forward.

The only question that comes to my mind now is .... will they (in a time of deep budget deficits) receive the funding for it?