Surface to air laser

[ericire12]

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16489-truckmounted-laser-shoots-down-spy-drone.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

The Laser Avenger is an infrared laser with power levels somewhere in the tens of kilowatts range mounted on a Humvee off-road vehicle. It is designed to take down the smaller variety of UAV, which are hardest for conventional air-defence weapons to target.

The power of its laser has been doubled since 2007, when it was shown off destroying a stationary improvised bomb. Now it has tracked three small UAVs – the exact model has not been given – and shot one of them down. The laser tracks an object and holds fire until the target is close enough for it to cause burning with a single blast.

Surface to air missiles designed to target normal-sized aircraft struggle to lock onto small, light, UAVs sometimes made from plastics rather than metal, Nick Brown, editor-in-chief of the journal International Defence Review told New Scientist. "Lasers are a natural extension of their capability."

[CJS3]

I'd like mine with a laminated wood stock, and brass fittings (old school Buck Rodgers).

[tombogan03884]

Last I knew the only ones with usable UAV's were us and the Isreali's ( who we got the idea from, it was called Pioneer). So who are they planning on using them against ?

[warhawke]

Dang, and I was waiting for my Phased-Plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.

[Pathfinder]

Last I knew the only ones with usable UAV's were us and the Isreali's ( who we got the idea from, it was called Pioneer). So who are they planning on using them against ?

I think they're more common than we think. The Georgians claimed to have shot 2 or 3 Russian ones down during their little dust-up. Based on this article, It appears that the Predator is not the only one still in use. The first ones - and from videos they are still in use - are glorified radio-control hobbyist planes with advanced telemetry gear. So if you can get a decent camera to mount, go to the local hobby shop and get a plane and radio, and voila - a drone! It would not surprise me if the BGs in the Sandbox even had a few.

[Sponsor]

[Solus]

The AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) which is a private group supporting the RC Aircraft sport, have as one of it's membership pledges that you will not mount cameras on your aircraft.

I have seen videos from RC helicopters with cameras mounted that  show impressive flight characteristics that would allow access to many secured areas, as long as there were no "closed door" obstacles.

Also, thinking of the basic effect of the Laser weapon, it bought to mind the first recorded incident (factual or not) of the use of the power of focused light to destroy enemy vehicles.

This was Archimedes who (as legend has it) used parabolic mirrors to destroy Roman ships attacking Syracuse in the Siege of Syracuse (214 BC - 212 BC).  The "Death Ray" was also used against Roman infantry in the same war.

Unfortunately, the city fell and Archimedes killed.


BTW, folks in NY State don't need to start reviewing state history, this Syracuse was on the island of Sicily =)))))

[tombogan03884]

He also used some sort of hook and pulley system to flip Roman ships that approached to land troops.

[Big Frank]

I wonder if the can shrink that laser down and mount it on a Glock. 

[Rastus]

This work has been around a while.  One must only wonder why it hasn't been used wholesale in Israel.  Must be holding it back.  This thing is supposed to be able to take out mortars, cannon rounds, rockets, etc....at least that was part of the "aim" of the program.  Hit those and planes would be easy.

Anti-missile laser cannon jointly tested by Israel, US
 
JERUSALEM (AFP) Apr 30, 2004
A joint US-Israeli test of an anti-missile laser cannon was partially successful, the Israeli defense ministry said Friday.
"The trial was conducted at the White Sands US army base (in New Mexico). In accordance with the principal objective, we managed to locate the missile" and track it, "without being able however to attain our secondary objective, which was to destroy it," the statement said.

The statement added that "the trial consisted, first and foremost, in locating the missile and trace it," and only "incidentally" to neutralize it.

The test was part of the THEL/MTHEL (Tactical High Energy/Mobile Tactical High Energy Laser) project on which the United States and several Israeli armament firms have been working since the late 1990s.

The MTHEL (a mobile version of the THEL with a lesser range) has already successfully been tested against Katyusha rockets fired individually or in salvos.

Experts say the THEL/MTHEL's most interesting feature, compared with a classic anti-missile missile, lies in its low operating costs and ability to be repeatedly fired at short intervals.

Israel views the MTHEL as a good way to protect itself against Katyusha rockets, typically fired across its northern frontier by the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah on its northern frontier.

[Pathfinder]

The AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) which is a private group supporting the RC Aircraft sport, have as one of it's membership pledges that you will not mount cameras on your aircraft.

I used to be a member of the AMA, knew they frowned upon firing rockets from your plane, but a camera? Come on! You can put one on a rocket. I think the AMA needs to get with the times a bit.

Besides, i don't think the US Army is too worried about the AMA revoking their membership.