Laser Weapons Ready for Use Today, Lockheed Executives Say

[Penguin]

http://www.janes.com/article/54340/dsei-2015-rheinmetall-shows-off-navalised-laser-mount

Rheinmetall Defence - HEL on wheels


MILITARY TECHNOLOGY: ILA 2012 - MBDA Germany Successfully Tests 40kW High-Energy Laser Demonstrator

Aselsan unveils Igla-Missile Launching System fitted with Weapon laser System 06051510 | IDEF 2015 Show Daily News Coverage Report | Defence security military exhibition 2015

 

[vizier]

The first problem is range. It is a good choice of terminal defense weapon but only at the last phase of the attack it counters. Anti ship missiles for example make maneuvers at their last attack dive or some of them get supersonic. It gives little time so how long does it take to terminate the target gains importance. But for damaging seekers on air to air missiles or atgms in its current condition it is a promising terminal defense option.

The second problem is mechanical steering. Suppose two ballistic missiles are coming at you. If you launch 2 abms you can take them out both at the same time. For the laser suppose in future you have sufficiently long range still you need to mechanically aim each time you take out the missile if the laser is so powerful that within a fraction of time target is destroyed you can swap targets. Otherwise either you need many turrets to compensate for the time loss or an aesa radar type of steering which seems difficult considering different properties of radio waves and lasers.

 

[Penguin]

The first problem is range. It is a good choice of terminal defense weapon but only at the last phase of the attack it counters. Anti ship missiles for example make maneuvers at their last attack dive or some of them get supersonic. It gives little time so how long does it take to terminate the target gains importance. But for damaging seekers on air to air missiles or atgms in its current condition it is a promising terminal defense option.

The second problem is mechanical steering. Suppose two ballistic missiles are coming at you. If you launch 2 abms you can take them out both at the same time. For the laser suppose in future you have sufficiently long range still you need to mechanically aim each time you take out the missile if the laser is so powerful that within a fraction of time target is destroyed you can swap targets. Otherwise either you need many turrets to compensate for the time loss or an aesa radar type of steering which seems difficult considering different properties of radio waves and lasers.

Most modern sufrace combattants, even little ones, have a single CIWS. Larger ones have two. Carriers up to three. Apparently that suffices.

 

[vizier]

Most modern sufrace combattants, even little ones, have a single CIWS. Larger ones have two. Carriers up to three. Apparently that suffices.

I agree that is sufficient when CIWS is complemented with longer range many to many missile protection.I mean for future potential of lasers to replace the missiles for protection like abms for example certain bottlenecks need to be solved like mechanical steering time loss,short range, power dissipation and so on

 

[Penguin]

I agree that is sufficient when CIWS is complemented with longer range many to many missile protection.I mean for future potential of lasers to replace the missiles for protection like abms for example certain bottlenecks need to be solved like mechanical steering time loss,short range, power dissipation and so on

In the naval arena, current applications are primarily against saturation attack with super- or hypersonic antiship missiles and 'asymmetric threats' like swarm attack by small surface craft or wig-aircraft.