Burke destroyer to get laser in 2020

[DrainBamage]

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.”

 

[fncceo]

The refit will make a few cosmetic modifications to the destroyer.

 

[DrainBamage]

This system would be a beautiful response to the occasional Russian/Chinese aircraft that makes unsafe diving runs at US ships traveling in international waters. A non lethal or destructive but extremely uncomfortable dazzling would discourage such behavior. Pilots do value their eyeballs.

 

[longknife]

Just read several articles about this piece of crap the Navy's spending billions on.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/WarlikeVelvetyAnole-mobile.mp4

The USNS Zumwalt. [I never thought the namesake was such a hotshot either]

Some current and former Navy officials have called into question the seaworthiness of the ship, claiming the new hull shape leaves it vulnerable to rolling over in certain conditions. Defense experts have said it’s vulnerable to submarine attacks and will be of little use for current naval needs.

 

[Wyatt earp]

This system would be a beautiful response to the occasional Russian/Chinese aircraft that makes unsafe diving runs at US ships traveling in international waters. A non lethal or destructive but extremely uncomfortable dazzling would discourage such behavior. Pilots do value their eyeballs.

It's against international law , that type of lazers.



The Legal Status of Laser Weapons That Blind on JSTOR

.
Abstract
In response to growing concerns over the production, deployment, and use of laser weapons that cause blinding, the international community in 1995 convened an international conference to restrict the use and transfer of blinding laser weapons. The result was the Fourth Additional Protocol to the 1980 United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. In doing so, a significant step was taken towards restricting the intentional blinding of combatants in time of war. This article provides a review of the process by which the Fourth Additional Protocol was drafted and an analysis of its legal impact on the use of laser weapon systems.

 

[harmonica]

This system would be a beautiful response to the occasional Russian/Chinese aircraft that makes unsafe diving runs at US ships traveling in international waters. A non lethal or destructive but extremely uncomfortable dazzling would discourage such behavior. Pilots do value their eyeballs.

It's against international law , that type of lazers.



The Legal Status of Laser Weapons That Blind on JSTOR

.
Abstract
In response to growing concerns over the production, deployment, and use of laser weapons that cause blinding, the international community in 1995 convened an international conference to restrict the use and transfer of blinding laser weapons. The result was the Fourth Additional Protocol to the 1980 United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. In doing so, a significant step was taken towards restricting the intentional blinding of combatants in time of war. This article provides a review of the process by which the Fourth Additional Protocol was drafted and an analysis of its legal impact on the use of laser weapon systems.

is this a joke?

 

[DrainBamage]

Some current and former Navy officials have called into question the seaworthiness of the ship, claiming the new hull shape leaves it vulnerable to rolling over in certain conditions. Defense experts have said it’s vulnerable to submarine attacks and will be of little use for current naval needs.

I'm no fan of Zumwalt, but that link questioning the stability links to an article from 2007 when it was pure speculation by folks outside the program because the ship design was somewhat radical. USN countered that extensive computer modeling had been done proving it was a suitable design. It appears they were right, as it went to see three years ago and underwent sea trials. Overpriced yes, questionable mission yes, but I'm pretty sure the seaworthiness question has been put to bed.

 

[Wyatt earp]

This system would be a beautiful response to the occasional Russian/Chinese aircraft that makes unsafe diving runs at US ships traveling in international waters. A non lethal or destructive but extremely uncomfortable dazzling would discourage such behavior. Pilots do value their eyeballs.

It's against international law , that type of lazers.



The Legal Status of Laser Weapons That Blind on JSTOR

.
Abstract
In response to growing concerns over the production, deployment, and use of laser weapons that cause blinding, the international community in 1995 convened an international conference to restrict the use and transfer of blinding laser weapons. The result was the Fourth Additional Protocol to the 1980 United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. In doing so, a significant step was taken towards restricting the intentional blinding of combatants in time of war. This article provides a review of the process by which the Fourth Additional Protocol was drafted and an analysis of its legal impact on the use of laser weapon systems.

is this a joke?

No joke, it's like mustard gas, can't use them



.

 

[DrainBamage]

San Antonio class LPD USS Portland was just spotted leaving San Diego with a laser turret weapon up front, mounted just ahead of the Bofors 30mm cannon. This would be part of the SSL-TM program, it's far more powerful than the one they used on USS Ponce and is supposed to be capable of addressing small boat swarms and drones.

This is in addition to the one recently seen on destroyer USS Dewey, which was seen with a different laser weapon mounted on the forward Phalanx deck:

The times they are 'a changin...