Why researchers are so interested in laser weapons?
The arm race is a race between an improved attacker and an improved defender. Things like Javelin missiles have two-stage tandem warheads that send hypersonic metal beams against the target. The improved weapons require improved counteractions. One of those counteractors is a laser weapon, which can destroy incoming missiles and ammunition over long distances.
Laser weapons are the next-generation tools against grenades, drones, and low-flying aircraft. Laser weapons can also cut holes in the ship's hulls and the thing that makes laser weapons so interesting is simple. It gives also small-size crafts the ability to make fatal damage to large ships.
If a laser cuts a slit in the ship's bow that kind of damage will be fatal if the ship must run at high speed. The Ukraine war has shown how difficult is to protect targets against drones. Even simple, straight-flying drones are difficult to defend. The drone itself is an easy target but when there are coming tens or hundreds of them.
At the same time, the air defense cannot let any of them go through which means it requires lots of ammunition. And one purpose of those drones is to force the enemy to use their AA ammunition against them. The AI-based drones can take evasive actions and they are harder targets than those simple and cheap drones.
The Ukrainian surface kamikaze drones are also effective tools. They can destroy or damage large ships. The problem is that things like Russia and terrorists notice that thing, and they wish to make their own versions of that tool. Maybe in the future, those drones also can operate underwater. That gives them the ability to attack the surface and underwater at the same time.
The fact is that. Those drones can equipped with GPS-guided antitank missiles that can also be deadly against targets in the harbor area. And those kamikaze drones can attack against equipment loaded on the quay and then try to destroy ships. And that kind of target requires counter-weapons that can react very fast. And laser is suitable for that role.
The only thing that limits the number of shots is the energy supply. Laser weapons are the same tools that are used in metal factories for cutting metal plates. And that means the laser systems can just cut off the wings of flying drones. The aircraft, equipped with a laser weapon can use that weapon against incoming missiles.
Protective laser weapons installed in high-flying platforms like stratospheric aircraft and airships can protect them against incoming missiles. The same lasers can also be used against enemy aircraft.
Lasers are also double-used tools. The same lasers, used as weapons against aircraft and ships can be used as communication tools. The thing that changes laser from a communication tool to a weapon is the power, that the laser system uses. Lasers are tools that can protect satellites against ASAT weapons. And when people talk about laser satellites or "killer satellites", they mean satellites made to destroy other satellites.
Lasers can offer communication and weapon tools against traditional missiles. But the arms race is a race between ultimate attackers and ultimate defenders.
But the problem is that missiles can also equipped with microwave warheads. In those systems, the missile carries a magnetron that sends microwaves ahead of it. That kind of electromagnetic warhead can use a windmill generator as a power supply. And then in the final moment, explosives press the battery to make high-power radiation impulse. The purpose of the electromagnetic warheads is to shut down the target's computers and destroy its electric systems.
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2023/09/northrop-grummans-compact-10-kw-anti-drone-laser-and-humvee-mounted-laser-against-mortars-rockets-and-more.html
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