The military hopes that a new generation of weapons can lead to fundamental changes in future warfare. Directed energy weapon pods can be fixed on aircraft to destroy incoming missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and even enemy aircraft, and the launch cost is low, as long as the aircraft has sufficient power. , Can launch unlimited ammunition.
The High Energy Liquid laser pointer Area Defense System (HEELLADS) developed by the Air Force will create a laser weapon that provides 150 kilowatts of power and is small enough to be installed on aircraft. It is expected to be put into use in 2020.
At the same time, AFRL is also studying laser shields for defense. Future fighters will be surrounded by laser “bubble” 360 degrees. Once missiles or other aircraft try to break in, they will be attacked or destroyed by lasers. In order to build the laser shield, the Air Force has cooperated with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to build a tower to avoid interference with the aerodynamics of the fighter aircraft, and has completed testing. General Atomic Technology revealed that the entire comprehensive system has been under construction in accordance with testing.
Through the development of high-power laser weapons, the U.S. military will be able to respond to growing ground-to-air threats and increasingly advanced manned and unmanned aircraft, or use it to accurately bomb targets. The main task for the development of tactical green laser pointer weapon technology in the future is how to further promote its practical process.
In response to the needs of various tactics and even strategic missions in the future, accelerate the development of core technologies and components such as high-energy lasers and beam directors, concentrate on developing system prototypes suitable for high-end applications, and put them into actual combat as soon as possible.
In the next 3-5 years, the focus of the development of tactical laser weapons is to develop 60-100 kilowatt fiber laser weapon prototypes to further improve the level of practicality, and it is expected to be applied to combat aircraft and rocket attacks to defend platforms or forward bases.