On the US Navy's wish list is Air-Cooled Laser Weapons that can be used for a variety of uses. Having the less heat with cooling systems is a priority. Lasers are dream weapons that don't need a bullet, beam, and all is good. It all looks good and easy on science fiction, but they get hot as "HEL."
Lasers are more complicated
In the movies and shows, a laser beam always has the power to spare and can fire indefinitely. Meaning power is no problem. The best part is that it is very portable and be carried as a pistol or cannon on a starfighter. This is the stuff of fantasy, reported Forbes.
But a larger bulkier version exist in 2021; high-energy laser (HEL) weapons might be soon deployed if critical components are made for full utility. The US military's development is a laser with cooling systems with size, weight, and power (SwaP) problems.
One goal is to have it fully available on vehicles or drones as smaller portable systems for mounting, keeping a slimmer silhouette to be used on a variety of weapon systems. Once the cooling systems cool down, lasers are made. Lasers will be the weapon of choice to take down drones, planes, and missiles for close-in defense.
Air-cooling preferred for lasers by the US
Using an active cooling system and developing it is more expensive and complicated. But Air-Cooled Laser Weapons will hit the spot better. In 2014, the US Navy tested a combat grade laser on the amphibious base ship USS Ponce in the Persian Gulf.
The 30,000-watt (30 kW) laser demo was covered by Time, 2020 as another laser rated at 150-kW used on the base ship USS Portland destroyed a drone. These were landmark tests by the US Navy in next-generation laser weapons.
From machine guns to lasers
Not only are big lasers wanted by the Navy; one project is developing a laser that smaller and cheaper to build. To get the most out of the project, low power 5-kilowatt beams that are battery-powered are cost-effective. It can be used for drones and grouped in laser batteries that function as close in defense or anti-missile/aircraft guns.
Historically the US military has made advanced arms that consider all the technology needed to make it useful in combat. For lasers to be sufficient, focus on a high energy light beam with the beam not overheating. One drawback of lasers is melting a barrel from the heat.
Small battery-powered lasers
To date, the Navy has tested these battery-powered uncooled lasers on several vehicles and platforms, noted the Navy research solicitation.
Cooling down high kW-class HEL systems need high cooling capacity chillers to bleed off heat from powerful lasers. Problems with how they are affected by where they are installed make these cooling units impractical.
One goal is to test a laser that shoots five minutes and cools it during the period it shoots beams. This navy project will come in Phase 1 and 2 cycles until ready. To reach this goal, Air-Cooled Laser Weapons that are only 5-kW and 50-kW versions will be ready by 2022. Smaller lasers are portable and easier for countering drones, including uses to be defined.
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