LASER WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY

[vicious_squid]

http://www.geekologie.com/2009/10/01/laser-rifle.jpg

http://www.kogakoalition.org/roadkill/rules/images/laserrifle.gif

 

 

by Staff Writers

Pittsburgh PA (SPX) Jun 28, 2010

Boeing took delivery of the beam director assembly for the U.S. Army's High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator (HEL TD) program, moving the system another step closer to its 2011 testing schedule.

Integrated Optical Systems Brashear, a division of L-3 Communications, delivered the component in Pittsburgh for transport to Boeing's facility in Albuquerque, N.M., where it will be mated to the remaining beam control system hardware. Once assembled, the laser system will be integrated with an Oshkosh Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) in Huntsville, Ala.

 

The beam control system will acquire, track and select an aimpoint on a target during the same time frame in which the system also will receive the laser beam from HEL TD's laser device, reshape and align it, and focus it on the target. The system includes mirrors, high-speed processors and high-speed optical sensors.

 

"Watching this revolutionary capability come together through the efforts of Boeing employees and partners working with our U.S. Army customer reinforces how real - and how close - this technology is to being ready to support warfighters," said Blaine Beardsley, Boeing HEL TD program manager.

 

The transformational, solid-state laser weapon system will provide speed-of-light, ultra-precision capability that will dramatically improve warfighters' ability to counter rocket, artillery and mortar projectiles.

 

"We're confident in our ability to begin testing at White Sands Missile Range early next year against real targets," said Mike Rinn, vice president of Boeing Directed Energy Systems. "Using a low-power surrogate for the high-energy laser, we will demonstrate the transformational capability of this system and its potential for the battlefield."

 

These low-power tests will demonstrate the HEL TD system's ability to acquire, track and target moving projectiles. The HEMTT will later be equipped with a high-energy laser that can destroy those targets.

 

Boeing is developing laser systems for a variety of U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy applications. Besides HEL TD, these systems include the Free Electron Laser, the Tactical Relay Mirror System, and the latest Compact 3-D Imaging Camera.

[Thor.]

Woot about time laser technology caught up with the rest of the world, Lol kind of reminds me of a Fallout 3 weapon.

 

Yet kind of scary at the same time.

 

I could see lasers taking over the weapons market in no time lol.

 

Do you have a link to this.???

 

This should be in the debates section.

[Captainscar]

*Grabs a Laser and Aims it at Thor* FIRING MAH LAZAA!!! BAD@ss Is Chucknorris email

[AncientSpaceAeon]

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/756433/laser_flashlight_hack/

[RedVexHK]

The High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator is actually quite large.. it's mounted on a truck similar to an airport firefighting rig.. the original was a towed trailer and rig with the emitter mounted on the roof of the trailer,this new design is on a much more mobile platform smaller and faster and able to go places a truck/trailer rig can't it's been since 2000 tested extensively against Kateusha rockets artillery and mortars including salvo launches with near complete success.

It's FAR from man or woman portable but nonetheless a functional DEW system and after it's last cancellation it's return and redevelopment and hopeful deployment will add an interesting new weapon to the Arsenal of the west. (DEW = Directed Energy Weapon)

Think a large mobile spotlight and you have the basic idea what the actual device looks like.. tho most of the actual weapon is inside the truck including power generation and control systems it's sort of like the FOGM truck inside.

[ub3rman123]

Plus the fact that it consumes a freaking ton of energy. And has a tendency to explode. It's much easier to just stick with propelling small chunks of metal into our enemies. The only reason to upgrade to lasers with the state they're in now is to be more futuristic, as they're no more effective (Less, actually) than current weaponry.

[vicious_squid]

wouldn't a laser be more effective if it was man portable? lasers don't drop like chunks of metal do.

[Thor.]

Also you would think they would be a little more environmentally friendly, instead of all that littering of bullets, you use light instead lol.

[ub3rman123]

Well, they do consume a ton more energy, though. Think of a laser as more akin to a hand grenade in terms of damage. Bullet casings don't do much more than rust.

[Captainscar]

LALALALALALALALASESESESESESESERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!