Lockheed Martin is providing a near operational high-energy laser weapon systems to the US Navy. This laser will be mounted on warships. It could also be the next step in laser weapons technology. Once it is operational, the laser can target targets up to five miles away and with pinpoint accuracy.
While it is still in the early phases of development, the HELIOS weapon system has demonstrated its power and ability to disable targets. It has also been shown to have surveillance capabilities. These capabilities will continue to improve as the Navy develops more missions for the system.
HELIOS lasers are designed to be used on Arleigh Burke class ships. The laser will be able to meet both power and space requirements. The laser must be integrated with other parts the ship's combat systems. It will therefore be more difficult to put in and will need to tested on the ground. In addition, it is expected that the laser will be scaled up to 120-150 kilowatts of power.
HELIOS has been tested on Wallops Island in Virginia. It is now expected that the laser will continue to be tested on the Pacific coast until 2022. The Navy will then determine if the laser can be used to target targets from a distance of at least five miles. A more powerful follow-on system, the USS Portland, will conduct a test of the laser on a moving drone in the Pacific in May of 2020.
According to a Congressional Research Center Report, lasers are a potential game changer in naval warfare. They are less expensive to deploy than traditional anti-air missiles and gunpowder-based ordnance. They also don't need reloading. Lasers can be used to both target stationary and moving targets like missiles.
The laser is also possible to be made at a lower price. A laser is cheaper than traditional antiaircraft missiles. It costs less per shot. Because they don't use propellants, they are powered by an electrical grid that is carried aboard the vessel. A generator can also be used to provide electrical power if there is one on board.
For years, the US Navy worked on directed-energy programs. In fact, the first laser was developed by Theodore Maiman in 1960 at Hughes Research Lab in Malibu, California. The technology has evolved a lot over the years. The US Navy is currently working on a number directed energy projects that are still in the early stages of research. One of these programs, the Layered Laser Defense system (all-electric weapon), is one of them. Although the design is still being worked on, it is predicted that the system will be able to operate with unlimited ammunition.
The US Navy has tested the capability of mounted lasers to defend ships from unmanned boats. During this test the laser was able knock out a moving target and not fire a single shot.