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US Navy To Field Rapid Fire Laser Cannons
Northrop Grumman has unveiled its answer to the much-vaunted "swarm" tactics of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval forces, which might see squadrons of "stealth" flying boats and attack craft attempting to overwhelm the defenses of US warships in the Persian Gulf. The US Navy will deal with this, apparently, using rapid-firing laser cannons to sweep their swarming enemies from the seas and skies around them. Northrop Grumman says that shore based testing of its Maritime Laser Demonstration (MLD) blaster cannon have been successful, and the firm is confident that seagoing trials later this year will be a triumph. The high-power lasers used in the MLD are the same units developed under the earlier Joint High Power Solid State Laser program, which were the first solid-state, electrically powered kit to deliver a combat-strength 100 kilowatt war ray. "Unlike commercial lasers that form the core of some laser systems intended for use at sea," says Northrop spokesman Dan Wildt, "MLD's power levels can be scaled to 100 kilowatts and beyond." In a statement just released, the company goes on to add: Northrop Grumman is developing MLD for the Office of Naval Research with a goal of demonstrating the readiness of solid-state laser weapon systems to begin transition to the fleet to engage targets that challenge current defensive systems such as swarms of enemy fast patrol boats. One issue with swarm tactics is that US warships and aircraft might simply run out of missiles and gun ammunition before Iran ran out of attackers: but electric ray-cannons developed from the MLD, powered by the carrying vessel's generators, could potentially keep on blasting as long as the ship had fuel left. According to Northrop, the MLD "burned through small boat sections" in tests conducted last month at the Potomac River Test Range, indicating that its performance over water is up to the job. "This successful test series gives us confidence that we will be successful at the at sea demonstrator scheduled later this year," says Northrop executive Steve Hixson. Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-10-05 |
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