New U.S. Army Stryker Combat Vehicles Will Be Equipped With 50-Kilowatt Laser Weapons

Raytheon's 50-kilowatt laser has been chosen for the U.S. Army's directed energy short-range air defense system on a Stryker combat vehicle. The Army will initially outfit a platoon's worth of the system. (Artist rendering courtesy of Raytheon)  

Defense News: Army readies to deliver first set of Strykers with 50-kilowatt laser weapons 

WASHINGTON — The first set of Stryker combat vehicles equipped with 50-kilowatt laser weapons will be delivered to a unit of Army soldiers at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, by the end of September, according to the head of the service’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. 

The Army has dubbed its Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense system “Guardian.” After testing its first prototype last spring at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, against one-, two-, and three-class unmanned aircraft systems and rockets, artillery and mortars, the service is planning to conduct more tests this month, Lt. Gen. L. Neil Thurgood said at a Jan. 12 event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.  

Read more ....  

Update:  The US Army to Deliver Its 50-kW Laser Combat Vehicles in 2022 (Interesting Engineering)  

WNU Editor: Congress wants even more laser weapons .... Congress gives Missile Defense Agency authority to research and develop laser tech for missile defense (Defense News).

from War News Updates https://ift.tt/3nv7Nay