The US Navy announced on April 13 that during an Office of Naval Research (ONR) test in February, an all-electric, high-energy laser weapon was employed for the first time to neutralize a target simulating a subsonic cruise missile in flight.
The weapon utilized in the test was Lockheed Martin-designed Layered Laser Defense (LLD) it was developed to serve as a multi-domain, multi-platform demonstration system.
“The ground-based laser system homed in on the red drone flying by, shooting a high-energy beam invisible to the naked eye,” the Navy said in a press release, detailing the demonstration.
“Suddenly, a fiery orange glow flared on the drone, smoke poured from its engine and a parachute opened as the craft tumbled downward, disabled by the laser beam,” it added.
The drone that was shot down by the system was part of a test at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico by the US Army’s High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility. The test was supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the US Navy said in a press statement.
The system also tracked or shot down a range of threats during the White Sands test, including unmanned fixed-wing aerial aircraft, quadcopters, and high-speed drones that resembled subsonic cruise missiles.
With a high-powered laser, this system can counter unmanned aerial systems and fast-attack boats. It can also use its high-resolution telescope to track in-bound air threats, support combat identification, and conduct a battle damage assessment of engaged targets.
Rear Adm. Lorin C. Selby, Chief of Naval Research, emphasized the importance of this type of system, saying, “Innovative laser systems like the LLD have the potential to redefine the future of naval combat operations.”
“They present transformational capabilities to the fleet, address diverse threats, and provide precision engagements with a deep magazine to complement existing defensive systems and enhance sustained lethality in high-intensity conflict,” he added.
j
