The AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System or XN-1 LaWS is an energy-guided weapon developed by the United States Navy. The weapon was installed in the USS Ponce for field testing in 2014. In December 2014, the US Navy reported that the LaWS system worked perfectly against the low-end asymmetric threats, and that the commander of > Ponce is authorized to use the system as a defensive weapon.
Video Laser Weapon System
Destination
The LaWS is a ship defense system that so far publicly uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) and simulated small boat attackers. LaWS uses infrared light from an array of adjustable solid-state lasers to output high to destroy the target or low output to alert or disable the target sensor. Among the advantages of this device versus projectile weapons is the cost per shot low, because every gun shoot requires only a minimal cost of generating an energetic pulse; by contrast weaponry for projectile weapons must be designed, manufactured, handled, transported and maintained, and requires storage space.
The LaWS is designed to be used against low-end asymmetric threats. The measurable power level makes it possible to use at low power to dazzle a person's eyes into non-lethality making them turn away from threatening postures, and increase up to 30,000 watts (30 kW) to fry the sensors, burn motor, and explode explosive materials. Against a vital point in a small UAV, a person can be shot down in just two seconds. When faced with a small boat, the laser will target a craft motor to paralyze it and make it "die in the water", then repeat it with another in sequence, requiring just a few seconds of shooting per boat. Targeting platforms is more effective than individual crew members, although LaWS is accurate enough to target explosive rockets when on board, whose detonations can kill operators. Against larger aircraft such as helicopters, LaWS can burn through some important components to cause them to crash and collide.
Maps Laser Weapon System
History
In 2010, Kratos Defense & amp; The Security Solution was awarded a $ 11 million contract to support the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) in the development of the LaWS program for the US Navy Electrical Energy and Weapon Program (DE & EWS). The NSWC test in May 2012 uses a melee weapon system control system to enable the ray directors to track unmanned aerial vehicle targets.
The LaWS will be installed on USS Ponce in summer 2014 for a 12 month trial deployment. The Navy spends about $ 40 million over the past six years on laser weapons research, development, and testing. This will be directed to the target by Phalanx CIWS radar. If the test runs well, the Navy can deploy laser guns operationally between 2017 and 2021 with a effective range of 1 mi (1.6 km; 0.87 million). The exact level of power to be used by LaWS is unknown but is estimated to be between 15-50 kW to involve small planes and high-speed boats. Energy-directed weapons are being pursued for economic reasons, because they can be fired at just one dollar per shot, while conventional rounds and conventional missiles can cost thousands of dollars each. The Navy has a history of testing of energy weapons, including megawatt chemical lasers in the 1980s. Their chemicals were found to be too dangerous for use on ships, so they switched to a less powerful fibrous solid-state laser. Other types can include solid state slabs and free electron lasers. The LaWS benefited from the development of commercial lasers, with the system essentially being six las lasers "tied together" that, although they did not become a single beam, all converged on the target at the same time. It produces 33 kW in testing, with a deployable weapon that produces 60-100 kW mounted on the Littoral Combat Ship or Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to destroy the ship-a fast attack, drone, manned aircraft, and cruise missile anti ship to several miles. In the short term, LaWS will act as a short-range self-defense system against drones and boats, while more powerful lasers in the future must have sufficient power to destroy anti-ship missiles; The Navy slab laser has been tested at 105 kW with an increase of up to 300 kW planned. Laser weapons such as LaWS are meant to complement missile defense systems and other weapons instead of replacing them. While lasers are significantly cheaper and have virtually unlimited magazines, their jets can be disrupted by atmospheric and weather conditions (especially when operating at sea level) and are limited to line-of-sight shooting to keep the rays on target. More conventional systems will remain in place for larger and longer targets requiring the use of kinetic defenses.
Implementation
The LaWS is deployed at Ponce at the end of August 2014 to the Persian Gulf with the US 5th Fleet. This deployment is to test the feasibility of laser guns in the maritime environment against heat, moisture, dust, and brine and to see how much power is used. The system has a measurable power level to be able to shoot non-lethal rays to fascinate the suspected vessel, and fires a stronger ray to physically destroy targets; the range is classified. Although neighboring Iran threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz from the Gulf by using a small herd of boats that LaWS could oppose, it was not designed or deployed specifically for use against a particular country.
In September 2014, LaWS was declared an operational asset, so the ship's commander had permission to use it in self-defense. Humans are not gun targets under the Convention's provisions on certain Conventional Weapons, but the targets include UAV helicopters, helicopters, and fast patrols. Engagement rules have been developed for its use, but details have not been released yet. The Navy has released videos from LaWS on disabling ScanEagle UAV deployments, detonating rocket-propelled grenades, and burning engines from rigid inflatable boats. Officials say it works out of allegation. Compared to hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars for missiles, one laser shot costs just 59 cents. Consisting of proprietary commercial laser components and proprietary Navy software, it is powered and cooled by "skid" through a diesel generator, separate from the ship's electrical system, giving greater efficiency relative to the supplied power of 35 percent. Installed on the Ponce superstructure above the bridge, its strong optics are also useful as surveillance devices that can detect objects in unspecified "tactical" spans; Seafarers have equated their surveillance capability with Hubble's telescope at sea. Seafarers use it for daily targeting and training, whether to disable or destroy test targets or to identify potential targets. The system is operated through flat screen monitors and controllers such as systems integrated into a ship combat system, so anyone with the experience of playing public video games can operate their weapons. It has functioned well against bad weather, able to work in high humidity and after dust storm. However, the system is not expected to work during a harsh sand storm and has not been tested under such conditions because "it does not make sense for", but the threat is also not expected to operate under the same conditions. Spreading on other vessels is being examined and although LaWS is planned to remain deployed for a year, it is done so well that fleet leaders decide to keep it in Ponce during that time at sea.
After reviewing several classes of ships to determine the available space, power and cooling, it was decided that, after the decommissioning of Ponce's planned in 2018, LaWS would be transferred to the new amphibious amphibious transport vessel. USSÃ, Portland (LPD-27) for unlimited testing, it will utilize the space and power connections provided for the VLS to place the LaWS power and control modules while the laser itself will be bolted onto the deck. Because this trial will not be integrated with Warfare Center & amp; control system.
In January 2018, the Navy announced a $ 150 million contract with Lockheed Martin for the production of two more LaWS units to be delivered by 2020; one will be fitted to USSÃ, Arleigh Burke, (DDG-51) while others will be used for land-based testing. Further contract options can bring the value to $ 942.8m.
See also
- Laser gun
- Iron Beam
- Tactical High Energy Laser
References
External links
- Laser test on drone on YouTube
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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