See the Americans’ new operational laser cannon – Dagbladet.no

(Dagbladet): The US Navy announced that their first operational laser cannon is now fully tested and battle ready aboard base vessel USS “Ponce”.

Thus a new technological era introduced in modern warfare. As far as we know, this is the first laser cannon that is trusted to conventional use. The captain aboard the USS “Ponce” has given the green light to take laser cannon used to defend the ship.

– The captain of the ship has all the necessary powers he needs to defend the ship with the laser system of a threat approaching, says Vice Admiral Matthew L. Klund according United States Naval Institute News (Usnia News) .

Klund head office for marine research (ONR), and says that the system is part of a 300 million kroner development project to test the viability of energy weapons in operational environments.

In the Persian Gulf

The system on board the ship, which has been named “Laws” (Laser Weapon System), has been under trial in the Persian Gulf since September. Field tests have been so successful that system today was declared ready for war.

– Laser weapons are powerful, cheap, and will play a vital role in the future sjøkrigsoperasjoner. We drove right this weapon, a prototype, through some extreme tough rounds and the locked themselves to targets and destroyed them with almost instantaneous mortality, says Klund to CNN.

The gun is currently intended to be used as a nærforsvarsvåpen against incoming drones, helicopters, aircraft, cruise missiles, and boats. In the video above, created by the US Navy, one sees the laser hit drones and small boats. But unlike sci-fi films, the beam is invisible to the naked eye.

A dollar shot

Geneva Convention currently prevents the use of such weapons directly at people, but according to the US Navy, are free to fire the laser towards aircraft, helicopters, other vessels and manned weapons systems.

The advantages of laser cannon – from the user’s perspective – are many. It is safer because it does not contain explosives or gunpowder, has virtually unlimited shot capacity, and it is very cheap to fire.

– For less than a dollar a shot, there is no doubt about the value Laws gives us . This will manage resources so that our navy people never have to fight fair, says Klund with reference to how far the uni will make American ships.

Over the next year the US will begin phasing in the system the remaining fleet.

Similar laser cannons are also being developed for the US Army, but these are still on the test stage and is scheduled first introduced in departments around 2016 – 2017.