The article at geek.com describes more about Star Wars efforts, the Navy laser, and the Boeing laser that I have been posting about. Looks like someone else is interested in this stuff too!
There is also a 5 minute Navy PR video concerning the laser system in the following video, for anyone interested in the Navy laser defense systems. The PR video explains the Navy's goals and has some nice footage of takedowns.
Can you explain what we're seeing in the first video? They used the laser to light the boat on fire? Where was the laser mounted? From how far away?
ReplyDeleteThe laser was shot from a Navy ship to burn through the motors and make them catch fire. Here is a quote from an interview on FOX Nation:
ReplyDelete"'This is the first time a [high-energy-laser], at these power levels, has been put on a Navy ship, powered from that ship and used to defeat a target at-range in a maritime environment,' said Peter Morrison, program officer for the Office of Naval Research."
To keep the laser beam fixed on the target boat's motor, the laser targeting system had to account for the rocking of the target boat and the rocking of the Navy ship the laser was mounted on.
Here is another quote from FOX Nation giving us an idea of how far away the target was:
"Some details of the event were classified, including the exact range of the shot, but [Rear Adm. Nevin] Carr could provide some information: 'We're talking miles, not yards,' Carr said."
Boeing also classified the distances in their tests for the aerial laser demo seen in the video I posted in Weaponizing Lasers.