US military laser weapons that attack ship and drone at a cost of only 100 yen per shot will be released

By firing toward a powerful laser beam to the target, laser weapons that destroy the sound and light without any enemy aircraft "LaWS"Actually working and adding attacks has been made public.

US Navy drone-killing laser weapon USS Ponce - CNNPolitics.com
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/07/17/politics/us-navy-drone-laser-weapon/index.html

LaWS is a weapon named after taking the initial letter of "Laser Weapons System" meaning "laser weapons system", which is mounted in the US Navy landing ship "Ponce" deployed in the Persian Gulf. The state of the launch test is released with monopoly of CNN in the United States.


There are multiple displays at the command office that operates the LaWS.


On the screen, attack targets captured by cameras and lasers are displayed ... ...


It is possible to add very accurate attacks towards the target.


I succeeded in destroying only the target placed on the ship's upper table.


Also, LaWS has attack power against drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) flying in the sky.


The screen shows that the main wing of the drones is shining white. It captures the appearance of laser light irradiated from LaWS hitting the wing and generating heat at high temperature.


Soon after, Drone crashed by losing control. Such drone weapons are already being introduced by countries such as Iran, North Korea, China and Russia.


The attack of LaWS does not emit light that is silent and visible, and literally "light speed" reaches the opponent.


Also, LaWS's attacks feature a very high degree of accuracy. In the case of the conventional attack method, it was necessary to set the target by considering the time difference from launch to arrival at the opponent. However, since the laser light arrives at the opponent instantaneously, LaWS is aimed at the opponent simply There is a merit that it is good.


Therefore, for example, when you find a vessel to attack ... ...


By destroying only the engine part, it will be possible to attack attacks that lose sailing ability.


With conventional weapons, surrounding objects and people often get involved in collateral, but LaWS can greatly improve the problem.


Captain Chris Wells of "Ponce" talks about the merit of LaWS "It has high attack power against all people in the land, sea and air".


The price of LaWS is 40 million dollars (about 4.5 billion yen) for the whole system with generator for laser generation. The actual operation can be done by three people, the cost of one irradiation is about 1 dollar (about 110 yen). Although it is impossible to make a direct comparison as actual operation situations are different, considering launching dozens of cruise missiles called "Tomahawk", which is said to be about 100 million yen per shot, ultimately at very low cost It will be possible to operate it.

The US Navy is already developing the "second generation" LaWS. In this generation power is further strengthened, it is expected to have the ability to attack and defend against missiles flying at high speed.


Actual performance is not disclosed due to the confidentiality of the military, but Captain Wells asked CNN "Can you shoot down missiles too?", With a smile answering "Maybe" with a smile That's right.