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| Science & Technology |
| US Navy To Field Rapid Fire Laser Cannons |
| 2010-10-05 |
| 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 |
| #17 I was (proudly) the source of the "skeet" comment. If not R2D2, then laser. Only the best to send our Islamofascts to their burning painful deaths. We owe them that |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-10-05 21:59 |
| #16 Mirrors will work, but they will basically announce themselves to radar. Radar is designed to pick up scatter waves and mirrors would be like strapping 100ft neon red arrows to your boat. Foil wouldn't protect much against lasers of that strength. Some, but not much. Water mist at that strength would be worthless. Smoke would work, if it was thick enough, but at that point you can't see where you are going and it defeats the purpose of the swarm boats. Remember the tactic of the swarm boats, 'burgers. A lot of boats for a small number of targets. If 300 boats swarmed a task force of 15 ships, and 100 of the boats have missiles, it really doesn't matter what the US does currently. Damage and casualties will be taken. While Iran will lose a lot of boats and men, if they take out a cruiser or aircraft carrier, then the propaganda alone is worth the expense. What do you think Bambi would do if the Iranians took out the USS Ronald Regan? (Not sink, but render inoperable) He would run faster than Bill did in Somalia and Iran would be the new Muslim power house in the region. With the RFLC, it reduces the chances of a American ship being taken out. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2010-10-05 20:55 |
| #15 Put a mist sprayer on a pole at the front of the boat and the laser is useless. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2010-10-05 18:28 |
| #14 Pulsed lasers don't care about mirrors, I understand. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-10-05 17:01 |
| #13 How well does this do against boats mounting mirrors? Is a wrap of backing foil a decent protection? |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2010-10-05 15:47 |
| #12 So everything will OK as long as the Iranians only send wooden boats. Not really. Lasers will punch through anything, including metal or fiberglass. How else would the lasers work on missiles? Just need enough energy focused in one place. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2010-10-05 14:41 |
| #11 Must be radar-aimed, maybe with optical adjustments of some kind. And Iran claims that their boats have a very small Radar Cross-Section. This must be why. Hard to imagine them having a small RCS when they are powered by a propeller. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-10-05 13:57 |
| #10 These are electric powered rather than chem - faster, if you can draw on a warship's generators. You deploy up to 100KW to burn through fog etc. And the higher power means faster burnthrough in small boats closing in fast. |
| Posted by: lotp 2010-10-05 12:38 |
| #9 How do smoke screens and smoke generators factor into these equations? I've seen videos of the CIWS in action. They take a long time and a lot of ammo to take out one single missile. Better have at least two lasers. Better have them well protected because they're all you've got. As for speedboats, who needs 100kw when 1kw is more than enough to blind the pilot? |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-10-05 12:14 |
| #8 AA: "Forbidden Planet", Leslie (Don't call me Shirley) Nielsen. |
| Posted by: mojo 2010-10-05 12:11 |
| #7 Maybe this will also render China's "Carrier-killer" Sunburns useless |
| Posted by: Yosemite Sam 2010-10-05 11:53 |
| #6 [obscure scifi reference] "Skipper, the blasted thing's invisible!" "Fire main batteries!" [/obscure scifi reference] |
| Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 2010-10-05 11:47 |
| #5 Skynet is complete. |
| Posted by: Beavis 2010-10-05 11:03 |
| #4 burned through small boat sections So everything will OK as long as the Iranians only send wooden boats. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2010-10-05 10:52 |
| #3 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. Even in fog? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2010-10-05 10:32 |
| #2 I can't help it, Star Wars Laser Cannons flash through my mind. Especially the shot of the star cruisers under attack by swarms if flying small spaceships. Deja Vu all over again.(Thanks Durante) |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2010-10-05 09:26 |
| #1 Confirms last week's statement by a Rantberger that the Iranian flying boats are skeet. |
| Posted by: HammerHead 2010-10-05 09:19 |