"Air Force Wants to Fire Lasers from Aircraft by 2023" Topic

"The Air Force plans to be able to incinerate targets such as incoming missiles with laser weapons mounted on C-17s by 2023 as part of a directed energy developmental effort, service official said.

The High Energy Laser, or HEL, is being tested by the Air Force Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. Ground tests are slated for later this year as part of a plan to precede air-launched laser weapons firing evaluations, Mica Endsley, Air Force Chief Scientist, told Military.com in an interview.

The first ever ground test of the weapon is slated to take place at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., said Othana Zuch, an Air Force spokeswoman…"
Full article here
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Amicalement
Armand

Pew-pew-pew?

I'm thinking that by 2023, ground- and ship-based lasers will have made life very…interesting for aircraft.

Pew-Pew-Pew was exactly my first thought! (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

When I was an AFROTC cadet back in the early 70s, Aviation Week had an article about the brand new F15. They reported that it would be able to fit a laser weapon. I would not hold my breath for this new one.

"The Airborne Laser program featured a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser. It was tested in the nose cone of a Boeing 747-400 Freighter. Air Force officials say they are now benefiting from the technological efforts of its previous ABL program.

However, Defense Secretary Robert Gates killed the program in 2009 when he said it was unaffordable and questioned if it would ever be feasible."

Strange, as I found two old articles claiming Gates killed the program cause they needed the money for the war in Iraq and Afghanstan…. Now its cause the program wasn't feasible.

It's entirely feasible. Each plane just needs a really long extension cord …

There has been a revolution in laser capability with Solid State lasers. There is a 100kw weapon pod now available small enough to hang on an ordnance rack that includes it's own batteries. Enough for 10-20 shots depending on the dwell time on target. Laser efficiency has gone up several hundred percentages since the old binary chemical laser days.

Have to agree that within the next 30 years I wouldn't want my grandkids flying a military aircraft. That is why we need to perfect drone technology now. Better a drone then someone s child get shot down.