The US Navy successfully test-fired a new laser weapon onboard the USS Portland. This was during the first week May. The ship fired a laser on a floating, unmanned aerial vehicle during the test off Hawaii. It was the first time that the Navy had used a laser weapon system to attack a ship. Northrop Grumman was responsible for the design of the laser weapon system. It can be used against small aircraft and unmanned aerial systems. It is expected that the laser will be stronger than the one the Navy tested on the USS Ponce (AFSB(I-15)-15) seven year ago.
The expected power of the laser system at Portland will be 150 kilowatts. This is five times greater than the 30-kilowatt laser tested by the Navy on USS Ponce. This upgrade is part of the Navy’s effort to improve the laser weapons systems onboard ships. The laser will be capable of disabling or killing unmanned aerial vehicles, artillery and mortars, as well as rockets. The US Navy has yet to determine the range of lasers on Portland.
The USS Portland, an amphibious landing dock ship of the San Antonio-class, is located in San Antonio. She is part the USS Essex Amphibious Ready Group. She will be deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet, where she will take part in the Rim Of The Pacific wargames. Portland will be the flagship of the multinational military exercise. The ship will be accompanied three other ships: USS Little Rock is an amphibious assaultship; USS Pearl Harbor is an amphibious dock-landing ship; and USS Essex is an amphibious attack ship. All three ships will carry the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
Portland is expected be the first U.S. ship to deploy an operational laser weapons system. This will be a significant improvement in the United States' defenses from the possible threats of small boats and unmanned aerial vessels, as well as artillery. It will also serve to remind allies of America's naval superiority.
According to the US Navy, the new laser weapon can protect ships from small boats and mortars as well as rockets and other cheap weapons. It will also aid in fighting Houthi rebels in Red Sea. The Navy has been working on developing directed energy weapons for years. The Navy is known for testing new technology in the Arabian Peninsula. It has also shown robots in both the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Aden.
Northrop Grumman received the contract to design and test the laser weapon in 2015. The company also belongs to the Essex Amphibious Ready Group. The company is currently working on a Solid State Laser - Technology Maturation Laser Weapon System Demonstrator. To produce a stronger beam the SSLTM employs multiple lasers of different wavelengths. The SSL-TM has been tested on land by the company. The demonstration is expected to be the first step in the development of a 150 kilowatt laser weapon.
The Navy has tested the laser system on USS Ponce as well as Portland. This is an interim afloat forward station in the Middle East. A suicide bomber from a small boat attacked the ship in October 2000. Two people died and 37 were injured during the attack. The engines of the ship were also damaged by the attack.