The Navy Has a Death Ray

[Guest SUNTZU]

Article

For years, the U.S. Navy has been pursuing a workable ray gun that could provide a leap ahead in ship self-defenses. Now, with a series of tests of a system called the Laser Weapon System, or LaWS), it may be one step closer to that goal.

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), the service's technology development arm, announced today that LaWS had "successfully tracked, engaged, and destroyed" a drone in flight, during an over-the-water engagement at San Nicholas Island, California.

It's certainly not the first time lasers have shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle -- last year, the Air Force zapped several drones with beam weapons in a series of tests at China Lake, California, -- but this test brings an additional bit of realism -- and an extra technical challenge.

Laser beams can lose strength as they move through the moist, salty sea atmosphere above the sea, so the Navy needs directed-energy weapons that can work effectively on ships.

The LaWS is essentially a laser upgrade to the MK 15 Close In Weapon System (CIWS), a.k.a. the Phalanx gun, a radar-guided autocannon that is already installed on Navy surface combatants.

According to NAVSEA, the system tested (shown here) fired a laser through a beam director installed on a tracking mount, which in turn was controlled by a Mk 15 CIWS. That's the basically same system that controls the Phalanx.

It represents a possible next step for the Phalanx system, which is currently limited by the range of its 20mm autocannon (Raytheon, manufacturer of the Phalanx, is also marketing a missile system to replace the gun).

The Phalanx is a last line of defense against sea-skimming anti-ship missiles and hostile aircraft, but the laser wouldn't replace the gun completely.

Theoretically, directed energy weapons would increase the range of the system, but you would still have the gun as a backup if the laser fails to do the job.

LaWS might also have other applications: land-based Phalanx guns have been used to shoot down incoming rockets and mortars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a laser Phalanx could -- theoretically -- avoid the problem of the "20mm shower" (unexploded rounds falling back to earth).

[Guest TargetShooter84]

Ahh...that explains that sinkhole in Guatemala City...

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Project X

[Garufa]

You got me going SUN, I thought they had adopted the mighty .40 S&W.

[Guest SUNTZU]

You got me going SUN, I thought they had adopted the mighty .40 S&W.

No, that's the MAGIC Death Ray. They can't tell us everything.

[towerclimber37]

the land based system reminds me of a series of books about "hammers' slammers'...a david drake series.

radar guided plasma weapons networked together to provide Air Defense.

hey Dan, gimme a call man!

[Guest jackdm3]

"Hey, man! Don't phase me, bro!!!"

[Mike.357]

"Hey, man! Don't phase me, bro!!!"

thats actually funny Jack!

I kind of always figured there was some kind of death ray going on. What happened in Guatamala kind of confirmed it for me. But of course we will never know the actual truth.

[Mr. Brooks]

I kind of always figured there was some kind of death ray going on. What happened in Guatamala kind of confirmed it for me. But of course we will never know the actual truth.

[Mark@Sea]

I have some really funny ciws stories for you guys next time we get together...

[towerclimber37]

When they were developing that system didn't they say the acronym stood for "Christ, it won't shoot!!"?

[Dolomite_supafly]

I was stationed at WSMR in NM in the early 90's. The military does a lot of testing and proof of concept there.

While there I was part of the range security detail while they were testing a chemical laser. The laser itself was amazing, I was close to where they fired it from and you heard nothing but an impact on target. The targeting system though had issues because after the first firing, which was WAY off target, one of the launch complex people asked us to stay off the radios because it was affecting the targeting.

I do remember big concerns over the chemicals because they were VERY lethal.

Some of the stuff I seen there was absolutely amazing and other stuff just made you think WTF. Had rockets that impacted White Sands Natiional Monument. Had some that were supposed to cut the motor before impact but didn't and struck the target helo.

The biggest snafu I witnessed is when a two stage rocket was launched. After the first stage broke away it fell on the lauch complex itself injuring several people inside the building. It took forever to fall so I kow it was moving as fast as it possible could. It would seem with all the geniuses working there they would have thought of this before.

Dolomite

[peejman]

I used to work with a PhD who was working on development of a land-based laser system for shooting down missiles. It looked like a spot light and sat on a flatbed trailer. He was all giddy when it blasted the first missile in-flight. He sent us some video of the test, which was cool to watch. That's been 7-8 years ago now.