Against 100 drones: Boeing is testing the latest laser gun

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Against 100 drones: Boeing is testing the latest laser gun

The largest US aerospace company Boeing is increasingly engaged in testing the latest laser systems weapons. This time, the company's specialists tested the capabilities of a newly developed laser gun to act against unmanned aerial vehicles.

The system of compact laser weapons Boeing (CLWS) is simple, portable, and the ability to quickly configure. The CLWS system includes an integrated system for countering unmanned aerial vehicles, including radar detection tools and a high-resolution sensor and target identification system.




The CLWS has a 2 kW laser. In this case, the entire laser weapon system is packaged in a small transport container. The total weight of one such system is 2267,96 kg. If combat use is necessary, weapons are mounted on a special wheeled platform (usually on a Stryker machine) or placed on a tripod in a special container equipped with power and cooling subsystems.

The system developed by Boeing is included in the program of mobile army lasers and is intended for use as part of the expeditionary forces of the United States, including in Europe. High mobility of the system allows you to transfer it anywhere, which does not exclude the possibility of using the latest weapons in the "hot spots" where American troops are now involved.

The company Boeing announced that the CLWS system has passed 5 successful tests, during which it withstood more than 100 odd drones. This is impressive. During the tests, the latest weapons showed their best side, which led to increased interest in him from the army command. In 2018, several CLWS systems, on special orders from the U.S. Department of Defense, were already delivered by Boeing to the army and deployed outside the United States within 6 months.


Experts highly appreciate the new system, calling it the best way to combat light unmanned aerial vehicles. Given the widespread use of the latter in modern local wars and conflicts, including in the Middle East, the American laser system is really becoming very popular in practice - both army units and the Marine Corps. It is the ground forces and the KMP that are now the customers of the latest system.

Thus, in the USA, developments in the field of laser weapons are increasingly being conducted. For the American defense industry, this direction is traditional, since even during the Cold War, Washington began experimenting with laser weapons, and the strategic defense initiative adopted during the presidency of Ronald Reagan became a real impetus to the development of laser technology. Then the Americans with the help of laser weapons wanted to intercept Soviet missiles in the event of a conflict with the USSR.

Times have changed, but Americans' interest in laser weapons has not weakened. Therefore, now that a new “arms race” has begun, the US military industry has stepped up research in the field of laser technology. Their result was the appearance of such a compact laser system.

By the way, a few years ago, skeptical experts doubted that the Pentagon would be able to get a compact laser system, and also did not believe in the possibility of installing it on the Stryker platform. After all, this machine does not have a high carrying capacity and can withstand a weight of 2-3 tons. But, as it turned out, skepticism was superfluous - Boeing was able to present just a compact laser system weighing a little more than 2 tons, and install it on Stryker.

Hence the main conclusion: it is not worth underestimating the likely enemy and his technology, but it will cost more to himself. However, in recent years, Russia has also not lagged behind the Americans in the field of laser technology, and according to some reports, it surpasses US developments. The same "Relight" as an example.
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38 comments
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  1. 0
    16 January 2020 11: 26
    Something I did not find means of radar detection in the photo, are not our brother being fooled?
    1. +3
      16 January 2020 11: 45
      Well, about a hundred drones also watched carefully, and what they discovered was incomprehensible, visually impossible. Is it not a new dummy, as once the SOI.
      1. 0
        16 January 2020 18: 26
        Quote: AlexGa
        Well, about a hundred drones also watched carefully, but it was unclear what they discovered

        The main thing - they made a COMPACT laser gun.
        And to integrate it into other systems is a secondary matter, and quite real.
        They can put on a locator. There will be an analogue of "Peresvet".
        And they can separately from the locators, but in conjunction with them.
    2. -1
      16 January 2020 11: 48
      It seems that there is a camera and a video signal processor.
      (...) high resolution sensory target identification and selection system
      1. 0
        16 January 2020 11: 50
        It must first be brought in, it’s not a circular view, obviously.
      2. +1
        16 January 2020 11: 54
        That is, if there is no line of sight, fog, cloudiness or smoke curtain, is that all? And drones can fly just by the GPS signal.
        1. +1
          16 January 2020 11: 57
          Quote: lwxx
          That is, if there is no line of sight, fog, cloudiness or smoke curtain, is that all?
          In any case, it is EVERYTHING, because the laser does not shoot through fog and smoke.
          1. +1
            16 January 2020 12: 30
            Nothing is all! We put a yellow fog filter and voila!
            1. +1
              16 January 2020 14: 42
              Quote: Vladimir_2U
              Nothing is all! We put a yellow fog filter and voila!

              will we put a filter on the laser? he doesn’t shoot through smoke and fog, no way. Where is it voila?
              1. +2
                16 January 2020 14: 57
                Is that a sense of humor there, irony isn’t it?
                1. +1
                  16 January 2020 21: 16
                  Quote: Vladimir_2U
                  Is that a sense of humor there, irony isn’t it?

                  guilty, with a sense of humor tight, did not catch up the first time
              2. +2
                16 January 2020 19: 45
                Quote: Gost2012
                Quote: Vladimir_2U
                Nothing is all! We put a yellow fog filter and voila!

                will we put a filter on the laser? he doesn’t shoot through smoke and fog, no way. Where is it voila?

                Well, the fog lights are yellow? Need a yellow fog laser! laughing laughing laughing
        2. 0
          19 January 2020 09: 44
          So what is the use of drones, which themselves do not see anything?
          Lasers are not the only weapons (if necessary, a rocket can be launched, no one canceled it), but in some conditions it is convenient and inexpensive to use.
  2. +1
    16 January 2020 11: 31
    The company Boeing announced that the CLWS system has passed 5 successful tests, during which it withstood more than 100 odd drones. It is impressive

    Impressive, if not fooled for advertising, something.
    Trust but check. Their military will \ will not buy, so we'll see. such a technique, if it meets the declared parameters, they should soon be tested in the troops! and not at the training ground.
  3. +3
    16 January 2020 11: 54
    Nuuuu ... compare "2kW" -k CLWS on "2-ton" "Stryker" "- e with" Peresvet "" on several wagons "...?! belay Is it not called "casting a shadow over the wattle fence" ... or comparing "David to Goliath"? Presumably, "Peresvet" is capable of more power; and it is designed to perform more "powerful" tasks, judging by the information available ... "Peresvet" of the "1st stage" is located on several trucks ... but there was a message that in the "nearest in the future ", a complete set of several trucks," should "sharply" decrease ... maybe up to 1-2 trucks! This should happen after the introduction of the "power plant" created on the basis of the Poseidon ENS ... or maybe the petrels' ENS will be attracted!
    1. 0
      19 January 2020 09: 45
      2kW is not the largest of those that are. These are the ones that make sense in most cases and at the same time cost reasonable money.
      1. +1
        19 January 2020 11: 25
        Am I arguing? On the internet, from time to time, it is reported about experimental laser installations of tens of kW ... The author "gave a hint" that one might think that he was "comparing" Poseidon and CLWS ... I think that this is not worth doing. ..
  4. +4
    16 January 2020 12: 34
    Quote: Vladimir_2U
    Something I did not find means of radar detection in the photo, are not our brother being fooled?

    The article says that .... SUBSYSTEMS are applied. Here, the subsystems, standing at a distance, on the chassis of the tractors (since there are several of such SUBSYSTEMS), did not fall into the frame.
    A simple marketing ploy. We lag behind in these tricks. Our history in market relations is just beginning.
  5. -2
    16 January 2020 12: 36
    laser setup tests
    1. 0
      16 January 2020 12: 50
      At what speed does he burn the tail of a drone (like a magnifying glass on a tree) - something I strongly doubt its effectiveness lol
      1. -2
        16 January 2020 12: 51
        Well, you can express your doubts to Boeing
  6. -1
    16 January 2020 12: 39
    The total weight of one such system is 2267,96 kg.

    Oh how important! Declassified the main characteristic. Why would such accuracy be?
    The Boeing company announced that the CLWS system passed 5 successful tests, during which it resisted More than 100 unmanned aerial vehicles.

    But here there is no accuracy. 101 - 199? In all five tests or in each? What do you mean "opposed" (percentage of defeat), maybe she just stood, and they flew opposite ...
    Oh fool !!!
  7. +2
    16 January 2020 12: 52
    If so, then the alternatives., In this case, lasers are not-inexpensive and effective. The system will undoubtedly be useful as one of the boundaries of the layered missile defense / air defense system,
  8. 0
    16 January 2020 14: 05
    On the door of the container, the number of "victories" over copters, as I understand it?
    I doubt very much about the effectiveness against a maneuvering flock of 100 small UAVs. Sounds like a fairy tale "in one fell swoop of seven kills".
    1. 0
      19 January 2020 09: 47
      Well, just a laser quickly aiming at a maneuvering (at any speed) target is not a problem at all.
  9. -1
    16 January 2020 14: 38
    Another Wunderwafle. Gentlemen-adepts of laser weapons:
    1. Efficiency of the best laser up to 20% (who does not believe or disagree - check on the internet)
    2. Based on the declared power of 2 kW (it is not clear: consumed, radiated, etc., for how long (in a nanosecond pulse or continuously)), we will consider constant (well, or with a second duration with a second duty cycle), then the power consumption will be 10 kW. THOSE. This thing will decently warm up and will not last long without forced cooling. And cooling is not visible.
    PySy. 10 kW is enough for a small Finnish bathhouse in the country.
    1. +1
      17 January 2020 05: 17
      For a small bathhouse, 4,5 kW is enough. 10 - this is with the girls.
    2. -1
      19 January 2020 09: 51
      Look at the charging stations of electric vehicles. There power is much higher than 10 kW (ten times) - and nothing, somehow working. Everything is in order with cooling, do not worry.
  10. 0
    16 January 2020 15: 34
    Americans are already the fourth laser put on warships. Now a 150 kW laser on the littric ship LSC (corvette, as it were).
    So, "the ice has broken" ...
    1. 0
      17 January 2020 00: 42
      Well, baby powder (talcum powder) to help. And about completely ground mica ... a steam generator ..
      I mean, the "clogged environment" so far wins the "hyperboloid".
  11. 0
    16 January 2020 17: 34
    Explicit nadurilovo. What is 2 kW? This is for the smallest quadcopter to keep the beam strictly in one place on the target for at least half a minute. At a distance of at least 500 meters, you need a very good stabilization system, for a fixed target. But the target is mobile, and to keep the beam strictly at one point of the target will not work. This is just about one target. And if two? Even if we assume that one will be damaged, the second will fly away. And here they say about a hundred.
    1. 0
      17 January 2020 16: 19
      Quote: mikstepanenko
      Explicit nadurilovo. What is 2 kW? This is for the smallest quadcopter to keep the beam strictly in one place on the target for at least half a minute

      2kW is the power of the welding arc for the "troika" electrode when cutting (less when welding). How long do you think it takes to permanently damage a small quadcopter with such an arc?
      1. 0
        17 January 2020 16: 43
        A welding arc, at this current, is applied to an area of ​​several square mm (I have solid experience in welding). Suppose a laser beam has the same cross section. But at the same time, the accuracy of the aiming and stabilization systems should be such that the beam does not leave this tiny patch. Which is a priori impossible. The ideal option (I don’t know if it’s possible) is that the beam will dance on an area of ​​at least dm squared. And it takes several seconds to burn through a metal at least half a millimeter thick with such an arc.
        1. 0
          17 January 2020 17: 18
          Quote: mikstepanenko
          it takes several seconds to burn through a metal at least half a millimeter thick, such an arc.

          0,5mm is a thin galvanized sheet. The one that is thicker is 0,7mm. It burns in a split second, you don’t have time to light the arc like a hole will be wink ) Something after these your words, I doubt that you have experience in electric arc welding ... Try to keep the 80A arc on 3mm metal in one place for at least 3 seconds. and enjoy the result.
          1. 0
            17 January 2020 17: 32
            Tin is not half a millimeter but thinner. Metal 0,8 cooked with a current of 30 amperes, really really big. 80 amperes at such a current will indeed burn such a metal in half a second, I repent of the error. Which does not replace the meaning of my argument - with any aiming and stabilization system, the laser spot will linger on a specific few mm square for no more than a hundredth of a second. And when he gets to this point the next time, the heat will have time to disperse. That is, it is not this square millimeter that needs to be heated with a beam, but not less than dm squared. Two kilowatts is long enough, but if a hundred kilowatts in a beam (not in momentum but on average) then we can talk about weapons. At least against small drones.
            1. 0
              18 January 2020 16: 44
              I do not see any problems with aiming systems, although it all depends on the distance. Now they put a bullet in dm2 per kilometer, it will be easier with a laser beam, and a lot - a bunch of nuances of ballistics go beyond the scope. Holding a bit will be more difficult, but nothing is impossible either. Guidance systems do not need to be mechanical, there are many other, very accurate, options, for example, lenses that change geometry under the influence of electricity, or positioning the same lenses using the piezoelectric effect. The speed and direction of movement is now determined quite accurately, extrapolating the trajectory for the same second - another, and voila!
              Maybe these are fantasies, but modern lasers are serious enough in their capabilities to be so frivolous.
              1. 0
                19 January 2020 09: 55
                This is not fantasy, this is reality. It uses a "test" and "combat" laser in parallel, and the geometry of the focusing mirror of the combat laser changes depending on how the test one passes through the atmosphere to the target, so that regardless of the state of the atmosphere, the focused beam reaches the target.
  12. 0
    17 January 2020 08: 40
    Quote: Vladimir_2U
    Something I did not find means of radar detection in the photo, are not our brother being fooled?


    When talking about C400, C500, radio monitoring equipment, as a rule, is also not shown. Show only the rocket.

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