U.S. Navy Successfully Uses Laser To Shoot Down Drones

July 20th, 2010 (10) Posted By Pat Dollard.

ABC News:

The U.S. Navy has used a a laser weapon to shoot down four unmanned aerial vehicles in a test that rings up memories of Ronald Reagan’s “Star Wars” missile defense shield in the 1980s.

The successful test of the Laser Weapon System off the coast of California was announced during the Farnborough International Air Show, which is taking place this week in England.

The technology, jointly developed with Raytheon, used industrial strength lasers, is more than just your run-of-the-mill PR exercise. In its write-up of the technology, Scientific American correctly notes that the shoot-down of the drones over water constitutes an advance over previous Raytheon tests which focused on static targets.

Mike Booen of Raytheon gave USA Today the money quote for the day: “The targets came in over the ocean, and it was a good day for lasers, bad day for drones.”

Still, don’t expect deployment any time soon. Even if the follow-up tests come through with flying colors, the technology is likely going to take several more years before it’s ready for combat situation. (Coincidentally, the breakthrough made the rounds on the anniversary of the day that U.S. astronauts walked on the moon in 1969.

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  • http://hyperinflation-watch.blogspot.com ZenDraken

    And that was just a wimpy little 35kW laser. The Advanced Tactical Laser is 100kW.

    • Xavier

      And the ABL is mega-watt laser!

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1

      “The U.S. Navy has used a a laser weapon to shoot down four unmanned aerial vehicles in a test that rings up memories of Ronald Reagan’s “Star Wars” missile defense shield in the 1980s.”

      Bambi canceled it all because this stuff doesn’t work :roll: those crazy fact reporters always foolin’ around.

  • Gary in Midwest

    Now that’s an alternative energy project worth sinking money into.

  • American

    They need pepper belly tracking lasers

  • IC

    The drones were moving pretty slow, but it’s a start.

    • DC

      Beam weapons like lasers are considered “ZTOF”…Zero Time Of Flight. Speed of the target object is a very small consideration when calculating ballistics, because there are none except those involved with the AZ-EL aiming platform.

      The drone was very small too in comparison to a real missle. It was basically a model aircraft with about a 4′ wingspan. Cheap, but effective since if the tracking system can track something that small…it should be able to track much larger targets easily.

  • http://patdollard.com SGT A

    Did ozero and evil inc sell our technology to China or Russia? After all, in zero’s world it’s not fair that the USA has this technology,and those developing Countries do not.That fucker wants and DEMANDS THAT WE LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD. Anything is possible with this bunch!

    • JIM D

      No Clinton did!

  • Tyler520

    I am not impressed until they are mounted on sharks

  • Razor

    I WILL NOT be impressed until they see how fast this laser rips through the polycarbonate windows of the Oval Office and scores a direct hit on the Cocksucker’s melon. Then, I will bow down to the technological advancements. Wow me with that and I goddamn guarantee funding forever.