US media said that US Air Force scientists are trying to arm the B-52 bomber with defensive laser pointer weapons, which can burn incoming air-to-air or air-to-surface missiles. The US “National Interest” bimonthly website reported on February 7 that offensive and defensive laser weapons for Air Force fighters and large cargo aircraft have been developed for many years. However, the Air Force Research and Laboratory recently launched a special five-year plan called the “Self-Protection High Energy Laser Demonstration” program. Its goal is to create airborne optical high-energy lasers to protect large-scale B-52 bombers and other large-scale aircraft. platform.
Air Force Chief Scientist Greg Zakarias said in an interview with the “Reconnaissance Warrior” website: “If you project the laser on the incoming weapon long enough, you can destroy the target.” Zakarias It is also said that the Air Force Research Laboratory is already studying an experimental verification weapon that can be bolted to an aircraft, and it may use a pod with a portable power supply. He explained that considering that the external pod will add extra reflective surfaces to the fuselage, which may make the aircraft easily detected by enemy air defense radar systems, this defensive laser weapon is not expected to be equipped on invisible platforms.
However, the heavily armed B-52 may benefit most from an air defense capability; this technology is indeed of great importance to the Air Force and may be of great use, because the Air Force is currently busy with a series of high-tech upgrades to the B-52. So that it can continue to serve in the next few decades. If a modified B-52 bomber is used as the Pentagon’s new “arsenal plane” or “flying bomb truck,” then providing defense for the B-52 may become increasingly important in the future.
The senior Air Force leader explained that lasers use high-intensity heat and light energy to burn targets without causing big explosions. The laser runs very fast and can almost instantly destroy fast-moving targets and defend against upcoming enemy attacks. The R&D staff explained that defensive laser weapons can also be used to jam incoming missiles. Zakarias said: “You may not want to destroy the incoming missile, but let it deviate from the direction-deceive it.”
In addition, he said that combining laser weapons with the optical technology of telescopes can improve the accuracy required to track and eliminate fast-moving enemy attack weapons. Another way to increase green laser pointer power is to tie fiber optic cables together, such as turning a 1 kilowatt laser into a 10 kilowatt weapon. Officials said that laser weapons launched from fighter jets could eventually be used for a wide range of potential applications, including air-to-air combat, close air support, anti-UAV, ground attack, and even missile defense.
Low cost is another key advantage of laser weapons because they can save the need for high-cost missiles. In recent years, a laser weapon called high-energy laser has been tested on the ground at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Air Force officials said that the first air test will be conducted before 2021.