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| Science & Technology |
| Phalanx Fitted With Laser and Passes Test |
| 2007-01-23 |
| Responding to an Israeli search (and offers of quick sales) for anti-rocket/ mortar systems, the company (Raytheon) that makes the Phalanx anti-ship missile system, has adapted a Phalanx to use a laser instead of a 20mm automatic cannon. The Phalanx radar can spot incoming object at up to 5,000 meters, and destroy them at up to 2,000 meters with its 20mm cannon. But by using an off-the-shelf solid state laser, Raytheon was able to detect and destroy a 60mm mortar shell (which is smaller than any current rocket) at a range of "over 500 meters". The laser used can be powered by a generator, or commercial (off the grid) electrical power. Previous high powered lasers required a chemical energy system that was bulky, messy and expensive. If this modified Phalanx system is reliable, they could be used to protect towns and villages in areas, like southern Israel, where Palestinians fire home made rockets from Gaza. While the 20mm cannon has a longer range, the ammo is more expensive, and the shells will eventually come down in Gaza, where they may hit civilians. Then there's the expense. Even second hand Phalanx systems cost over a million dollars each. New ones can cost ten times that, although the price with the laser, instead of the complex, six barreled 20mm cannon, would be lower (perhaps $6 million each). The laser version would also be lighter, weighing no more than three tons. |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #21 Go back to the 20mm cannon. 10-20 shooting at each incoming Katusha and mortar would be nice. 100+ rounds land at random, 1 takes out the projectile, that sort of thing. Rename it "Galanx". Indeed ... as stated in another comment ... there are features and then there are FEATURES ... |
| Posted by: Beau 2007-01-23 21:49 |
| #20 METAL STORM + Solid-State LASERS are still active WIP's. Getting better, more potent, + more accurate wid each Test. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-01-23 20:12 |
| #19 *U knows the cool GE GAU 30 mm Cannon we all love ..thats used on the A-10... I don't have the time find it cause I'm off to work, but the Swedes have a version on their ships with radar controled firing system. Its called Goalkeeper http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goalkeeper_CIWS |
| Posted by: Valentine 2007-01-23 17:19 |
| #18 100, 000 multi kollured blowing balls Hahahahaha, the lord is love a man with a long memory. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-01-23 16:10 |
| #17 Paleos Funniset Video's LOL |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2007-01-23 15:11 |
| #16 With FRIGGIN' LASER BEAMS on their foreheads! |
| Posted by: mojo 2007-01-23 15:05 |
| #15 Counterbattery fire with 155s should work as well. |
| Posted by: RWV 2007-01-23 15:04 |
| #14 ...Actually, the Israelis could really torque some shorts putting this into service by just using 20mm TP (target practice) rounds. They're solid, inert material that doesn't go boom when they hit anything, and that drastically limits their penetration. (Range is several thousand yards, and I'm guessing the Israelis will set them a few clicks back from the border to keep the local yoots from taking pot shots at 'em) By the time they get into Gaza, remember that they're going to be on a reciprocal heading from the inbound - they may well be landing on the bad guys who were shooting and scooting. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2007-01-23 14:57 |
| #13 this might be the time to dust off the ole caterpults and seeramic blowing spheres blueprint. yep, holler dem out and den filler dem plumb up wid HE. gawda sight to behold for paleotard gazans, caterpults lined up sholder to sholder wid 100, 000 multi kollured blowing balls flying at em up in de sky at any onetime! *seriously who cares about 20 mike mike rounds that fall out of the sky when defending your home, except you wouldn't want them falling back on Israel or Israeli troops in Gaza. **U knows the cool GE GAU 30 mm Cannon we all love ..thats used on the A-10... I don't have the time find it cause I'm off to work, but the Swedes have a version on their ships with radar controled firing system. |
| Posted by: RD 2007-01-23 13:14 |
| #12 The Phalanxes, laser or no, would work better aimed at ground level. |
| Posted by: ed 2007-01-23 12:35 |
| #11 I just want some Freaken Phalanxes with Freaken laser beams on their heads! |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-01-23 12:21 |
| #10 Hilarious comments up top, in the best Rantburg tradition. CIWS/Phalanx re-gunned with lasers?? Me like! |
| Posted by: Verlaine 2007-01-23 12:13 |
| #9 No reason to go ultra high tech, when cheap and cheerful will do. I think they would get some information, but far more would be the value in unnerving the Paleos that they are being watched. The funny part about it is that the Paleos will assume that because the balloons are looking at them from one direction, if they hide what they are doing on the backside of a building then the Israelis won't be able to see them. Not realizing that the Israelis can watch them from the sea, too. And if a bunch of Paleos are mucking about on the backside of a building, it will be a dead giveaway that they are up to no good. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-01-23 11:17 |
| #8 If they put up tethered balloons they could beg for a distance enhanced version of Radar Vision from TimeDomain to let them see through the roofs and walls right into the buildings in Gaza. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2007-01-23 11:07 |
| #7 I still think that Israel could profit by running up cheap balloons with cameras on them, to give the Israelis a great field of view of what is going on in Gaza and the West Bank. What I liked about this is they can spy in thier houses, and put the video's on youtube. Like Paleos Funniset Video's. |
| Posted by: plainslow 2007-01-23 10:51 |
| #6 I still think that Israel could profit by running up cheap balloons with cameras on them, to give the Israelis a great field of view of what is going on in Gaza and the West Bank. They only need 10k of observation for Gaza, which they could probably do with off-the-shelf tethered weather balloons. The best part is that it would make it hard as hell for the Paleos to do things while hiding them from the Israelis. And by putting up just two balloons, one to the East and one to the North, the Paleos would probably go nuts. There are even off-the-shelf 360 degree cameras they could use, which would do a lot to help image stabilization. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-01-23 10:14 |
| #5 If Israel could afford the ammo, then a system of standard Phalanges all tied together would be neat. If any rocket fires anywhere, they all go off, spraying all the Paleo lands as well as the rocket. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2007-01-23 09:39 |
| #4 So this weapon can find a small object quickly, and zap it with a killer laser. This may also help stave off the Avian Flu. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-01-23 09:17 |
| #3 While the 20mm cannon has a longer range, the ammo is more expensive, and the shells will eventually come down in Gaza, where they may hit civilians In a normal world, that would be a feature, not a bug. |
| Posted by: Rambler 2007-01-23 09:13 |
| #2 While the 20mm cannon has a longer range, the ammo is more expensive, and the shells will eventually come down in Gaza, where they may hit civilians. There are civilians in Gaza? Who knew? |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2007-01-23 09:00 |
| #1 While the 20mm cannon has a longer range, the ammo is more expensive, and the shells will eventually come down in Gaza, where they may hit civilians consider it the cost of protection. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-01-23 08:58 |