US military's RAY-GUN truck BLASTS DRONES, mortars OUT OF THE SKY

Here's hoping there's a shark attachment

In month-long tests at the White Sands missile range in new Mexico,
the High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator (HELMD) blew up 90 mortar
rounds and several aerial drones using a 10kW-class laser mounted on an
armored vehicle.

"We had considerable success," Terry Bauer, Army program manager for HELMD told the Christian Science Monitor.

The
HELMD system uses radar (or as the military calls it "Enhanced Multi
Mode Radar") to track targets and focus the laser on them. Once locked,
the laser raises the temperature of mortar shells to the point where the
explosives they contain combust.

"It falls as a single piece of
metal with a little bit of shrapnel. It basically falls where it was
going to fall, but it doesn’t explode when it hits the ground," Bauer
said. "We turn it into a rock, basically.”

Boeing, which developed
the system for the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army
Forces Strategic Command, said the technology is now ready for an
upgrade so that it can carry a 50kW laser, with a more powerful 100kW
unit also in the pipeline.

Posted: 12/14/2013 10:07:31 PM EDT

[#1]

this has been in development for a while I think. I wonder is the sharks will have truckatinny mounts?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - US military's RAY-GUN truck BLASTS DRONES, mortars OUT OF THE SKY

General » General Discussion

Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.

Warning

Confirm Action

US military's RAY-GUN truck BLASTS DRONES, mortars OUT OF THE SKY

Here's hoping there's a shark attachment

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us