Laser

Missile Defense Agency Seeking A High-Flying Drone For "Airborne Laser 2.0"

Between the YAL-1's short life and today there have been major leaps in directed energy. Much smaller and lighter solid-state laser technologies that use electricity instead of chemicals for energy are all the rage in the defense worlds. In fact, the strides made in the solid state laser space are so profound that arming not just ground vehicles, but combat aircraft, such as gunships, high-performance fighters and attack helicopters, with highly dynamic tactic laser systems are very much concepts under development and testing today. At the same time, unmanned aircraft technologies have continued to evolve, as have the optical and radar payloads they are capable of carrying over or near the battlefield. The high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) RQ-4 Global Hawk in particular has finally come into its own as an operational intelligence gathering system that can rival its manned competitor, the U-2 Dragon Lady.