US Navy Destroyer Morphing Into Imperial Star Destroyer??

[Vulcann]

The Arleigh Burke-class DDG will not be like a Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer, at least not for the time being, but the former's LAWS (Laser Weapon System) will be closest to the beam weapons the Star Destroyer posses in the movie I guess.

 

It is still experimental but now ship-borne and apparently in working condition.

 

Still only able to hit slow-moving targets like UAVs and boats but I think it is a matter of time they perfected it to shoot down high-speed jets and even supersonic missiles as well as the most dangerous of them all, the nuclear-tipped ICBMs.

 

Check out the video clip which showed the fiery end of a delta-winged drone.

 

From abc NEWS:

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/navys-laser...ory?id=18908406

 

Navy's New Laser Weapon Blasts Bad Guys From Air, Sea

By LUIS MARTINEZ (@LMartinezABC)

April 8, 2013

 

John F. Williams/U.S. Navy

The Laser Weapon System (LaWS) temporarily installed aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) in San Diego, Calif., July 30, 2012, is a technology demonstrator built by the Naval Sea Systems Command from commercial fiber solid state lasers, utilizing combination methods developed at the Naval Research Laboratory.

 

No longer the fantasy weapon of tomorrow, the U.S. Navy is set to field a powerful laser that can protect its ships by blasting targets with high-intensity light beams.

 

Early next year the Navy will place a laser weapon aboard a ship in the Persian Gulf where it could be used to fend off approaching unmanned aerial vehicles or speedboats.

 

The Navy calls its futuristic weapon LAWS, which stands for the Laser Weapon System. What looks like a small telescope is actually a weapon that can track a moving target and fire a steady laser beam strong enough to burn a hole through steel.

 

A Navy video of testing conducted last summer off the coast of California shows how a laser beam fired from a Navy destroyer was able to set aflame an approaching UAV or drone, sending it crashing into the ocean.

 

"There was not a single miss" during the testing, said Rear Admiral Matthew Klunder, chief of Naval Research. The laser was three for three in bringing down an approaching unmanned aerial vehicle and 12 for 12 when previous tests are factored in.

 

But don't expect in that video to see the firing of colored laser bursts that Hollywood has used for its futuristic laser guns. The Navy's laser ray is not visible to the naked eye because it is in the infrared spectrum.

 

Many of the details about how the laser works remain secret, such as how far its beam can travel, how powerful it is or how much power is used to generate it.

 

But Navy officials have provided a few unclassified details. For example, the laser is designed to be a "plug and play" system that integrates into a ship's existing targeting technologies and power grids. Those factors make it a surprisingly cheap weapon.

 

Klunder says each pulse of energy from the laser "costs under a dollar" and it can be used against weapons systems that are significantly more expensive. The Navy says it has spent about $40 million over the past six years in developing the weapon.

 

Rear Admiral Thomas Eccles, Navy Sea Systems Command, says the beam can be turned on instantly and that ultimately "the generation of power is essentially your magazine. It's the clip we have" instead of bullets. "We deliver precision with essentially an endless supply of rounds."

 

Some new technological fixes, what Klunder calls "a secret sauce," have been developed to improve the degrading of lasers over distance as well as maintaining a lock on a target from a moving ship.

 

The strength of the beam is flexible enough that at a lower intensity level it can be used to warn approaching ships and UAV's not to get too close to a Navy ship. Instead of using machine guns to fire non-lethal warning shots as Navy ships do now, the laser can be aimed to "dazzle" the viewing sensors aboard the craft. That light effect warns the pilot of a small water craft or at the controls of a UAV that they are being targeted by a laser and to turn away. If they don't, the laser's power can be boosted to destroy the approaching craft.

 

Based on earlier testing the Navy is confident the laser is ready for real-world testing aboard the USS Ponce in the Persian Gulf. The ship was selected because of its mission to be an enduring presence in the Gulf to counter Iranian maritime threats in the region. Coincidentally Iran uses small fast boats to harass American warships in the waters of the Persian Gulf.

 

How might Iran feel about the new weapon? "Frankly I hope it sends a message to some of our potentially threatening adversaries out there to know that we mean business," said Klunder. "This is a system where if you try to harm our vessels that I hope you will take a very, very serious moment of pause to think about that before you do it because this system will destroy your vessel or will destroy your UAV."

 

The Navy wants the ship's crew to use the same techniques and methods they use with their other defensive weapons systems.

 

While for now the laser will be used primarily against slow-moving UAV's and fast boats cruising at speeds of 50 knots, the Navy sees the system's capabilities expanding over time to target faster weapons.

 

"There's absolutely every intention that with the development of this system and follow-on upgraded systems we will eventually be able to take higher speeds in-bound," said Klunder.

[Elmo]

Wonder what will be the effect on human target. Vaporized?

[Vulcann]

Wonder what will be the effect on human target. Vaporized?

 

Through.

[Adrianli]

I tot such laser already exist onboard Air Force One.

 

U can actually buy such laser pen and the beam is strong enough to set off match stick heads. Google and see the videos. But I think its illegal to bring into SG>

[Rncw]

kena BBQ

[Pocus]

I tot such laser already exist onboard Air Force One.

 

U can actually buy such laser pen and the beam is strong enough to set off match stick heads. Google and see the videos. But I think its illegal to bring into SG>

 

Not Airforce one.

 

It's the YAL-1

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1

 

unlike starwars, the laser is invisible. You don't even know what hit you. (or melt you for this case)

Edited April 9, 2013 by Pocus

[Vulcann]

I tot such laser already exist onboard Air Force One.

 

U can actually buy such laser pen and the beam is strong enough to set off match stick heads. Google and see the videos. But I think its illegal to bring into SG>

 

All the while thought these "experimental" offensive LASER weapons are colossal in size.

 

Did not know they are now plane- and ship-borne capable.

 

But I guess it is still a long way to go before someone wield a man-portable weapon machiam these fellas:

 

(Source: http://www.sideshowcollectors.com/forums/s...d.php?p=4955805 )

 

[laugh]

 

 

[Mustank]

it ish true, devastator got hit by one of these

 

 

 

[Rubbishman]

Can the laser beam penetrate wood? Kim would be the least impressed if laser cannot blast thru his wooden naval vessels.

 

 

 

[Picnic06-Biante15]

Wonder what will be the effect on human target. Vaporized?

 

hmmmm......... castrated (sperm producing cell dead)..

 

 

[1fast1]

I always found the portrayals of those laser weapons in Sci Fi very amusing. Forget the sound effects in the vacuum of space, that's obviously wrong (and just for effect). The bigger (and more subtle) concern is this: how can you dodge a laser weapon? You simply cannot. The only thing you can do is get out of the way before the guy is in firing position (e.g. when he's raising his laser rifle). Apart from that, you can only hope he's screwed up his aim because once your eye registers that he's fired, the laser light has already reached you (you're already hit).

[Picnic06-Biante15]

Can the laser beam penetrate wood? Kim would be the least impressed if laser cannot blast thru his wooden naval vessels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No wonder they launhed the wooden sampan ...

[Coolad]

I always found the portrayals of those laser weapons in Sci Fi very amusing. Forget the sound effects in the vacuum of space, that's obviously wrong (and just for effect). The bigger (and more subtle) concern is this: how can you dodge a laser weapon? You simply cannot. The only thing you can do is get out of the way before the guy is in firing position (e.g. when he's raising his laser rifle). Apart from that, you can only hope he's screwed up his aim because once your eye registers that he's fired, the laser light has already reached you (you're already hit).

 

Yup... in line with the observation so far... 12 targets 12 hits; 100% hit rate. Lasers are just fast... in fact no need any complicated targetting system when we are talking about conventional engagement range. They had breached the tough portion... enuff energy in a relatively short span of time to inflict damage. Now is just pumping it up... imagine a 0.5sec burst taking out a plane or missle or something. and then to the next lap on engaging hard armoured targets like tanks and bunkers...

 

Other good things about Photon-based weapons are almost no cost and plentiful "ammunitions"

 

 

[Elmo]

Through.

If this ever becomes a portable weapon like a gun or rifle, murder will be hard to proof. No body left.

 

[Mustank]

Can the laser beam penetrate wood? Kim would be the least impressed if laser cannot blast thru his wooden naval vessels.

 

the wooden boat reminds me of

 

[Adrianli]

Can the laser beam penetrate wood? Kim would be the least impressed if laser cannot blast thru his wooden naval vessels.

 

 

This one no need laser, use the long long ago invented Archimedes death ray!!!

 

 

 

Even the mythbusters cant replicate it.

[Ghostrider]

Can the laser beam penetrate wood? Kim would be the least impressed if laser cannot blast thru his wooden naval vessels.

 

should equip the South Koreans special force with water proof power drills....they can dive under his boat...drill a few holes and watch him sink slowly....hahahahahaha....then release a few hungry sharks sit back on their destroyer and have a good laugh over it. [laugh]

[Vulcann]

This one no need laser, use the long long ago invented Archimedes death ray!!

 

Even the mythbusters cant replicate it.

 

Just like modern surface combatants possess defensive weapons like CIWS or anti-ballistic missiles, those days the sailors can use this to counter the "death" ray:

 

(Source: http://www.aliexpress.com/price/fashion-ci...pper-price.html )

 

[laugh]

Edited April 9, 2013 by Vulcann