PEW-PEW !! USS Ponce deploys laser weapon in Gulf

[enlUSMC]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us...rming-beyond-expectations-official/ar-BBgCZxF

Future warfare is here

 

[Flash]

Someone had to post it...

 

[azguy]

Still "pie in the sky" for the time being. But as ADM Klunder says, we are close to a no-kidding operational capability here.

If you are a naval aviator, this thing should scare the shit out of you. More to follow in the realm of doctrine development, to be sure. Hope to have some smart 13XXs at the table.

 

[nittany03]

If you are a naval aviator, this thing should scare the shit out of you.

Huh? Seems to be a glorified CWIS at this point. Valuable, but not a threat that any 13XX would get near, even if the other side had it.

Or are you just saying not to fly near a boat where you're standing TAO? In which case, copy all, I'll pass the word.

 

[azguy]

Huh? Seems to be a glorified CWIS at this point. Valuable, but not a threat that any 13XX would get near, even if the other side had it.

In terms of application, it has the potential to be CIWS, 5" Gun, and Standard Missile all rolled into one weapon. It's not purely defensive.

Dwell on this for a moment... And keep in mind the "real" version of this to be fielded on CRUDES will be 3-5x more powerful.

New video of the 30-kilowatt laser showed it dazzling a small aerial drone in two seconds, frying its electronics and sending it plummeting into the sea before it had time to catch fire.

 

[ea6bflyr]

We need to add "Pew Pew" to this thread.

On a serious note, there are a few things that need to take place before you can shoot something. Kind of hard to shoot something you don't or can't see.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Well, apparently they're shopping for a slogan to replace "A Global Force for Good"....

How about: "America's Navy: We'll Zap Your Eyes Out"

 

[nittany03]

In terms of application, it has the potential to be CIWS, 5" Gun, and Standard Missile all rolled into one weapon. It's not purely defensive.

Dwell on this for a moment... And keep in mind the "real" version of this to be fielded on CRUDES will be 3-5x more powerful.

Well assuming the WEZ scales linearly with power, and that open source reporting makes this thing a 1-mile stick, then the CRUDES version would be a 3-5 mile shooter. Tried to Google the physics of what determines effective energy delivered to the target, and I can't find a straight equation, as it seems to be based on many factors including the albedo of the target. At any rate, if the equation isn't linear, I hardly think the laws of physics would allow one better than linear; the only equivalent I know of that involves throwing photons at something is the radar range equation, which is an inverse square law. If it follows that, then the CRUDES version you speak of would have a 1.7-2.2 mile WEZ at 3-5 times more oomph. Oh, and I'm no expert, but it would seem to me that that also discounts fog, rain, sand, and anything else which could scatter the beam, like GMSN Snuffy forgetting to clean salt spray off the lens. Great to augment CWIS or take care of swarms, but slow your roll on replacing anything else.

And there's the countermeasures. Does this mean we're going to switch from bulk chaff to bulk glitter? Sounds absolutely fabulous . . . and if the ordies screw up, that shit will end up EVERYWHERE.

 

[webmaster]

Where's the rapid fire rail gun at?

 

[Beans]

Just make a polished-chrome aircraft. It'd take the whole "I'm rubber, you're glue" line to a whole new level.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Just make a polished-chrome aircraft. It'd take the whole "I'm rubber, you're glue" line to a whole new level.

Yeah...go old school!

 

[BigRed389]

In terms of application, it has the potential to be CIWS, 5" Gun, and Standard Missile all rolled into one weapon. It's not purely defensive.

Dwell on this for a moment... And keep in mind the "real" version of this to be fielded on CRUDES will be 3-5x more powerful.

There's still that whole "under the horizon" problem...aviators shouldn't be dumb enough to fly into the Red Equivalent of SM-2 WEZ as it is...I hope.

 

[azguy]

There's still that whole "under the horizon" problem...aviators shouldn't be dumb enough to fly into the Red Equivalent of SM-2 WEZ as it is...I hope.

At some point this thing will be used for ASMD, necessitating higher elevation shots.

 

[azguy]

Well assuming the WEZ scales linearly with power, and that open source reporting makes this thing a 1-mile stick, then the CRUDES version would be a 3-5 mile shooter. Tried to Google the physics of what determines effective energy delivered to the target, and I can't find a straight equation, as it seems to be based on many factors including the albedo of the target. At any rate, if the equation isn't linear, I hardly think the laws of physics would allow one better than linear; the only equivalent I know of that involves throwing photons at something is the radar range equation, which is an inverse square law. If it follows that, then the CRUDES version you speak of would have a 1.7-2.2 mile WEZ at 3-5 times more oomph. Oh, and I'm no expert, but it would seem to me that that also discounts fog, rain, sand, and anything else which could scatter the beam, like GMSN Snuffy forgetting to clean salt spray off the lens. Great to augment CWIS or take care of swarms, but slow your roll on replacing anything else.

And there's the countermeasures. Does this mean we're going to switch from bulk chaff to bulk glitter? Sounds absolutely fabulous . . . and if the ordies screw up, that shit will end up EVERYWHERE.

Think about it, if this thing will burn holes through metal at Xnm, what will it do to COMMs, radars, avionics-- not to mention a pilots eyeballs and other soft tissue-- at 10, 20, 50nm? I've heard some crazy figures, probably not appropriate for posting on here, but I would give this thing a wide berth if I were you.

 

[xj220]

Well assuming the WEZ scales linearly with power, and that open source reporting makes this thing a 1-mile stick, then the CRUDES version would be a 3-5 mile shooter. Tried to Google the physics of what determines effective energy delivered to the target, and I can't find a straight equation, as it seems to be based on many factors including the albedo of the target. At any rate, if the equation isn't linear, I hardly think the laws of physics would allow one better than linear; the only equivalent I know of that involves throwing photons at something is the radar range equation, which is an inverse square law. If it follows that, then the CRUDES version you speak of would have a 1.7-2.2 mile WEZ at 3-5 times more oomph. Oh, and I'm no expert, but it would seem to me that that also discounts fog, rain, sand, and anything else which could scatter the beam, like GMSN Snuffy forgetting to clean salt spray off the lens. Great to augment CWIS or take care of swarms, but slow your roll on replacing anything else.

And there's the countermeasures. Does this mean we're going to switch from bulk chaff to bulk glitter? Sounds absolutely fabulous . . . and if the ordies screw up, that shit will end up EVERYWHERE.

The radar range equation doesn't apply to lasers and the distances they can get out of this thing are phenomenal. Specifics I don't have, but from what we've covered it's got amazing potential. I know some lasers will actually use the atmosphere to help tune or focus the beam on the target. Atmospherics such as clouds and fog will affect it, however I see this being more as a small boat defense weapon (anyone notice where it was tested? hint, hint?). As for anti-air, the atmosphere changes the higher you go so it's a lot more difficult to focus it in on the target (whereas at sea level it's constant and predictable).