Laser

 

Military seeking technology breakthroughs in laser weapons for jet fighters and armored combat vehicles

The Pentagon and military services are moving quickly to develop newer, stronger, more-mobile laser weapons. Much of this includes laser scaling and size, weight and power (SWaP) improvements to arm jet fighters and even destroy enemy ballistic missiles in space.

Army Scientists and weapons developers are designing lasers strong and durable enough to travel into space. They also are trying to build compact transportable lasers able for fast-moving, jet fighters and transportable infantry devices.

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in Huntsville, Ala., is power-scaling lasers for missile defenses. The Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., meanwhile, is miniaturizing strong mobile power systems for jet fighter laser weapons, and the Army is already arming Stryker armored combat vehicles with high-power lasers to defend against enemy unmanned aircraft.