The U.S. Navy turned science fiction into science reality after the USS Ponce demonstrated its ability to destroy a drone in flight– with a laser beam.
The Navy’s Laser Weapon System (LaWS) has been operational for about four months already, but officials unveiled the weapon to the public during with a live fire testing that featured the concentrated energy weapons system.
“Laser weapons are powerful, affordable and will play a vital role in the future of naval combat operations,” said Rear Admiral Matthew L. Klunder, chief of naval research. “We ran this particular weapon, a prototype, through some extremely tough paces, and it locked on and destroyed the targets we designated with near-instantaneous lethality.”
The weapon is operated with a controller that resembles that of a video game console, and has multiple modes to disarm enemy operatives. Operators can deploy the LaWS system with levels ranging from a non-lethal “dazzling”– to visually stun to the enemy– through highly concentrated energy beams that strike with lethal force.
The weapon is a dual threat– they are both accurate and cost-effective. The Navy believes they will be crucial when needing to face “asymetric threats” such as small armed pirate boats or drones. Each shot from the LaWS weapon costs only 59 cents, which pales in comparison to the standard ballistics.
“At less than a dollar per shot, there’s no question about the value LaWS provides,” said Klunder. “With affordability a serious concern for our defense budgets, this will more effectively manage resources to ensure our Sailors and Marines are never in a fair fight.”
The weapons system has cost millions of dollars to develop, but is an impressive advanced weapons systems that ushers in a new era of warfare that has only been described in science fiction novels. (Check out the video released by the Navy here)
