TrustMe Posted October 3 Posted October 3 There was a news article on TWZ a month or two ago saying that the US was giving up on laser based weapons.
txtree99 Posted October 3 Posted October 3 Looks like there is still working on systems https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_weapon
Yama Posted October 3 Posted October 3 2 hours ago, rmgill said: Yeah. About that. https://www.worldtribune.com/archives/obama-military-budget-cuts-claim-airborne-laser-program/ WASHINGTON — The United States has canceled its airborne laser program, which aroused major interest in the Middle East for its ability to intercept intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The U.S. ABL system was to use a Boeing 747-400F with a chemical oxygen iodine laser in the nose. The administration of President Barack Obama has decided to terminate the ABL program, meant to develop a Boeing 747-400F passenger aircraft fitted with a chemical oxygen iodine laser in the nose of the platform. Apparently it didn't work out quite as well as hoped. "Air Force Chief of Staff Schwartz has said that the system "does not reflect something that is operationally viable""
crazyinsane105 Posted October 3 Posted October 3 3 hours ago, rmgill said: Yeah. About that. https://www.worldtribune.com/archives/obama-military-budget-cuts-claim-airborne-laser-program/ WASHINGTON — The United States has canceled its airborne laser program, which aroused major interest in the Middle East for its ability to intercept intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The U.S. ABL system was to use a Boeing 747-400F with a chemical oxygen iodine laser in the nose. The administration of President Barack Obama has decided to terminate the ABL program, meant to develop a Boeing 747-400F passenger aircraft fitted with a chemical oxygen iodine laser in the nose of the platform. I think the issue is, beyond the reliability aspect, this aircraft needs to get very close to enemy airspace to be able to shoot down the incoming missiles. Or rather I should say…they’ll have to fly directly over Iran. Which is suicide at this point for an aircraft that large
Stuart Galbraith Posted October 3 Posted October 3 5 hours ago, rmgill said: Yeah. About that. https://www.worldtribune.com/archives/obama-military-budget-cuts-claim-airborne-laser-program/ WASHINGTON — The United States has canceled its airborne laser program, which aroused major interest in the Middle East for its ability to intercept intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The U.S. ABL system was to use a Boeing 747-400F with a chemical oxygen iodine laser in the nose. The administration of President Barack Obama has decided to terminate the ABL program, meant to develop a Boeing 747-400F passenger aircraft fitted with a chemical oxygen iodine laser in the nose of the platform. If you are saying the man was an idiot, I've never disagreed.
Stuart Galbraith Posted October 3 Posted October 3 (edited) 2 hours ago, crazyinsane105 said: I think the issue is, beyond the reliability aspect, this aircraft needs to get very close to enemy airspace to be able to shoot down the incoming missiles. Or rather I should say…they’ll have to fly directly over Iran. Which is suicide at this point for an aircraft that large I wonder if it would generate longer range, if you could get the platform up to 60 or 70000 feet? No, I'm not suggesting doing that with a 747... Edited October 3 by Stuart Galbraith
Josh Posted October 3 Posted October 3 ABL was a chemical laser; it was a pipe dream. Pretty much every laser program across all the US services has been canceled or delayed; there were something like a half dozen programs, half of which were closed. I think the USN presses on as does DE-SORADs, though neither is yet suitable for service.
txtree99 Posted October 3 Posted October 3 USS Preble is armed with HELIOS.. High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Energy_Laser_with_Integrated_Optical-dazzler_and_Surveillance https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2024-10-01/uss-preble-helios-laser-japan-15365682.html
Josh Posted October 3 Posted October 3 2 minutes ago, txtree99 said: USS Preble is armed with HELIOS.. High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Energy_Laser_with_Integrated_Optical-dazzler_and_Surveillance https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2024-10-01/uss-preble-helios-laser-japan-15365682.html In an experimental capacity only.
txtree99 Posted October 3 Posted October 3 HELIOS remains in the at-sea testing phase and will continue testing while homeported in Yokosuka, Task Force 70 spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Seth Koenig told Stars and Stripes by email Tuesday. Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2024-10-01/uss-preble-helios-laser-japan-15365682.html Source - Stars and Stripes
Yama Posted October 3 Posted October 3 2 hours ago, Stuart Galbraith said: If you are saying the man was an idiot, I've never disagreed. It was Gates who cancelled ABL, and apparently almost everyone in Pentagon agreed with him on this.
Josh Posted October 3 Posted October 3 13 minutes ago, Yama said: It was Gates who cancelled ABL, and apparently almost everyone in Pentagon agreed with him on this. ANL was an unworkable pipe dream all along.
Yama Posted October 3 Posted October 3 I vaguely remember some talk at the time, that sufficiently powerful laser would become 'autofocusing' and overcome problems caused by atmosphere (thermal blooming and defocusing). That probably did not turn out to be the case, if it was ever actually a thing.
sunday Posted October 3 Posted October 3 (edited) 34 minutes ago, Yama said: I vaguely remember some talk at the time, that sufficiently powerful laser would become 'autofocusing' and overcome problems caused by atmosphere (thermal blooming and defocusing). That probably did not turn out to be the case, if it was ever actually a thing. It is a thing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_optics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_guide_star Edited October 3 by sunday
Josh Posted October 3 Posted October 3 44 minutes ago, Yama said: I vaguely remember some talk at the time, that sufficiently powerful laser would become 'autofocusing' and overcome problems caused by atmosphere (thermal blooming and defocusing). That probably did not turn out to be the case, if it was ever actually a thing. I literally got drunk with one of the ABL engineers at a Halloween party two decades ago. He was actually dressed as a Brit squady with live 30.06 clips. ABL was a Reagan star wars level dead end.
Mighty_Zuk Posted October 4 Posted October 4 (edited) Elbit is currently on contract to provide integration work and testing for an airborne Iron Beam derivative on the Hermes 900 platform. Nice for rockets, not so much for MRBMs though. Edited October 4 by Mighty_Zuk
Yama Posted October 4 Posted October 4 21 hours ago, Josh said: I literally got drunk with one of the ABL engineers at a Halloween party two decades ago. He was actually dressed as a Brit squady with live 30.06 clips. ABL was a Reagan star wars level dead end. Cool. I don't pretend to know anything about it, but I believe that they were counting on a breakthrough happening in scaling up lasers whilst they would test a practical application, but it never came.
Mighty_Zuk Posted October 5 Posted October 5 IDF reports on its operations in Lebanon: This includes the ground operation involving 2 divisions. Most footage coming out of there is infantry, even when focusing on operations of the 36th armored division. That is because much of the work is controlled demolition of hard infrastructure like tunnels and fortifications, and capture of weaponry. No specifics yet but soldiers on the ground report massive amounts of weapons were taken back to Israel.
rmgill Posted October 6 Posted October 6 On 10/3/2024 at 4:51 PM, txtree99 said: USS Preble is armed with HELIOS.. High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance Good name for such a ship and mission.
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