Lockheed Martin has delivered a near-operational, high-energy laser weapon to the US Navy. This laser is designed to be mounted on warships and could be the next step in laser weapon technology. Once it is operational, the laser can target targets up to five miles away and with pinpoint accuracy.
The HELIOS weapon system is still in development and has yet to be fully tested. However, it has shown its ability to destroy targets. It has been demonstrated to be capable of surveillance. These features will evolve as the Navy develops new missions.
HELIOS laser is intended to be integrated onto ships of the Arleigh-Burke class. It will therefore meet the vessel's power and space requirements. However, the laser needs to be integrated with the combat system of the ship. That means that it will be more difficult to install and will need to be tested on land. In addition, it is expected that the laser will be scaled up to 120-150 kilowatts of power.
HELIOS underwent land-based testing at Wallops Island (Virginia) and will continue testing in the Pacific up to 2022. During this time, the Navy will determine whether or not the laser can destroy targets at a distance of up to five miles. A more powerful follow-on system, the USS Portland, will conduct a test of the laser on a moving drone in the Pacific in May of 2020.
A Congressional Research Center report states that lasers could be a game-changer in naval warfare. They are more affordable to deploy that traditional anti-air weapons and gunpowder based ordnance. They also don't need reloading. Lasers can be used to both target stationary and moving targets like missiles.
A laser can also be constructed at a significantly lower cost. Compared to traditional anti-air missiles, the cost of a laser is less than $1 per shot. Because they don't use propellants, they are powered by an electrical grid that is carried aboard the vessel. If the vessel has a generator on board, then it is also possible to use it as a source of electrical power.
The US Navy has been researching directed energy programs for many years. Theodore Maiman developed the first laser at Hughes Research Lab in Malibu in California in 1960. Technology has come a long way since then. The US Navy currently has a variety of directed energy programs in various stages of development. The Layered Laser Defense system is an all-electric weapon. It is possible that the system will operate with unlimited ammunition.
The US Navy has successfully tested the ability of mounted lasers in order to defend ships against unmanned craft. During this test, the laser was able to knock out a moving target without firing a single bullet.