The military has tested laser pointer weapons on communications, aircraft, and audited armored vehicles, but recently, Raytheon revealed that it had conducted similar high-energy laser weapon experiments on an Apache AH-64 attack helicopter. The company said that in April of this year, they worked with the US Army Apache Project Management Office and the US Army Special Operations Command to conduct a test at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, successfully locking and hitting an unmanned target.
Although Apache helicopters have long played an important role in delivering infantry to the battlefield, in some cases, they still have shortcomings. In contrast, helicopters equipped with high-precision laser weapons can supplement them with more powerful destructive power.
As a platform, the helicopter can move in three-dimensional space, can bypass the meat shield and kill the enemy combatants. In this example, Raytheon installed a laser weapon pod on an Apache helicopter and connected it to an advanced photoelectric infrared sensor system.
The system can provide target information and situational awareness. It can still control the high-energy green laser pointer beyond 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles), hitting the target directly and accurately. Lei Sheng said that this is the industry’s first application of a fully integrated laser system on a rotorcraft and successfully fired.