The Boeing HEL-MD program currently mounts an off-the-shelf 10-kilowatt laser, but it will be upgraded in 2016 to a custom-built 50-60 kW weapon, with potential for 100 kW and above. It’s already shot down drones and mortar rounds, and the higher power levels should make it capable against rockets and even artillery shells.
“There is some concern out there that maybe the services [Army, Navy, Air Force] are being redundant [they each have at least one laser program], [but] it reflects the importance of that technology,” Mann told the conference in his public remarks. “The services are using this technology to look at different threat sets.”
Mann also mentioned that there are some very exciting cyber weapons and electronic warfare weapons. However, the programs are very, very classified, very, very compartmentalized programs, so I can’t go into a lot of specific areas.
The US is developing complex layered defenses with interceptors, directed energy, non-kinetic, cyber.
Boeing HEL-MD truck laser
Another Lockheed laser program, Aculight which may or may not be technology applied to the Army contract
SOURCE- Breaking Defense
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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