DrainBamage
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- Dec 31, 2016
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They had one deployed on USS Ponce as a testbed for a few years and they liked it so much it was declared operational while serving in Persian Gulf, that system was moved to USS Portland.
HELIOS will have triple the power as previous which puts it more firmly into the realm of "destruction" among it's mission capabilities, at least for small boats and drones. We're not to the point of lasers shooting down cruise missiles but it sure seems we're getting closer and closer to turning that corner, and the upcoming flight III Burkes (and seemingly useless Zumwalts) will be able to juice up a lot more power for this class of weapons.
The artist rendition (which is actually quite silly since the laser beam isn't visible) shows it being mounted on the front platform where some ships in the class currently have a Phalanx and others have nothing, I assume they'd keep the rear mounted Phalanx.
High-Energy Laser Weapons Are Moving Out to Sea
The U.S. Navy’s first-of-its kind high-energy laser weapon contract will supply one 60-150 kilowatt system for an Arleigh-Burke class ship, the DDG 51 Flight IIA, and another as a land-based test unit. The award of the $150 million contract, to Lockheed Martin Corp. in late January, signals the move of laser weaponry from science and technology research to fielding and use on Naval ships. In a highly competitive field against three other companies bidding on the contract, Lockheed Martin was not able to discuss the award until now.
The weapon, which will be delivered to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in April 2020, will feature varying levels of lethality. It will be used for surveillance, optical dazzling and sheer destruction. The Navy’s intent was to supply a laser weapon for a DDG 51 Flight IIA “in the shortest time frame possible,” according to a NAVSEA spokesperson.
...
“I’ve been working on lasers for decades and we felt that the high-powered laser technology was the last piece of the puzzle, actually building and delivering a laser weapon system capability to the Department of Defense,” Afzal said. “To me the HELIOS contract is really a watershed moment, that we are crossing out of science and technology and building real capability for the Navy. It’s really rewarding for me personally.”
HELIOS will have triple the power as previous which puts it more firmly into the realm of "destruction" among it's mission capabilities, at least for small boats and drones. We're not to the point of lasers shooting down cruise missiles but it sure seems we're getting closer and closer to turning that corner, and the upcoming flight III Burkes (and seemingly useless Zumwalts) will be able to juice up a lot more power for this class of weapons.
The artist rendition (which is actually quite silly since the laser beam isn't visible) shows it being mounted on the front platform where some ships in the class currently have a Phalanx and others have nothing, I assume they'd keep the rear mounted Phalanx.
High-Energy Laser Weapons Are Moving Out to Sea
The U.S. Navy’s first-of-its kind high-energy laser weapon contract will supply one 60-150 kilowatt system for an Arleigh-Burke class ship, the DDG 51 Flight IIA, and another as a land-based test unit. The award of the $150 million contract, to Lockheed Martin Corp. in late January, signals the move of laser weaponry from science and technology research to fielding and use on Naval ships. In a highly competitive field against three other companies bidding on the contract, Lockheed Martin was not able to discuss the award until now.
The weapon, which will be delivered to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in April 2020, will feature varying levels of lethality. It will be used for surveillance, optical dazzling and sheer destruction. The Navy’s intent was to supply a laser weapon for a DDG 51 Flight IIA “in the shortest time frame possible,” according to a NAVSEA spokesperson.
...
“I’ve been working on lasers for decades and we felt that the high-powered laser technology was the last piece of the puzzle, actually building and delivering a laser weapon system capability to the Department of Defense,” Afzal said. “To me the HELIOS contract is really a watershed moment, that we are crossing out of science and technology and building real capability for the Navy. It’s really rewarding for me personally.”
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