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| Science & Technology | |
| Navy Declares Laser Weapons Ready To Protect Ships in Persian Gulf | |
| 2014-12-13 | |
| The Navy's 30-kilowatt solid-state laser aboard the USS Ponce is now being fired in operational scenarios by sailors in the Persian Gulf, marking the first-ever deployment of a sea-based directed energy weapon. "We've tested it in the lab we've tested it operationally at sea. Now, we are not testing it anymore. This is operational," said Rear Adm. Matthew L. Klunder, chief of naval research at the Office of Naval Research. "They are using it every day." If a small or large attack boat, missile or aircraft launched an attack upon the USS Ponce, sailors are equipped to destroy an approaching threat in seconds with the new laser weapon. "If we had to defend that ship today, it will destroy any threat that comes in-bound. We have the ROE (rules of engagement) to support that," he said. The Navy's Laser Weapon System, or LaWS, uses heat energy from lasers to disable or destroy targets fast, slow, stationary and moving targets. The system has successfully incinerated drones and other targets in tests shots, and is now operational aboard an amphibious transport dock, the USS Ponce.
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| Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC |
| #5 I guess the supply officer should stake down an extra 50g from of BBQ sauce for deployment. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2014-12-13 22:22 |
| #4 Makes me harder than Chinese arithmetic in the dark. Let's light some shit up!!! |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2014-12-13 20:23 |
| #3 Of note: New carriers with the Electromagnetic launchers (large high energy discharge capacitors?), and a big Nuc reactor = laser platform as well as a hypersonic rail gun platform. Looks like Carriers are going to be viable as an attack platform for a long long time. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-12-13 08:46 |
| #2 Now for the 'flammable vapor cloud' test series. (You might want to stay away from those production platforms...) |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2014-12-13 08:03 |
| #1 IMO Artic read, IRAN. Ditto as per the newly re-established UK naval presence in the Gulf. FYI Iran continues to harshly criticize BASE-TOO-FAR-QATAR's alleged sponsorship or support of regional terrorism, once again poten leading to a realistic situation or scenario where Qatar may end up hiring the ISIS/ISIL to stop victorious local Shia rebels + ultimately Rising Iran. The dynamics or politics in the Gulf is indeed fickle or precarious for the US-West no matter the latter's agenda. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2014-12-13 00:40 |