Lockheed Martin makes case for new era of directed energy weapons
The difficulties that have traditionally stopped industry and military operators from collaborating to successfully deploy directed energy weapons on the battlefield are effectively over, according to Lockheed Martin.
While technology demonstrator projects and test scenarios have advanced the cause of directed energy weapons and shown their utility in hitting a variety of targets, size issues have fundamentally prevented these weapons from equipping defence platforms.
The introduction and development of fibre laser technology has, however, enabled electrical power to be converted into light power at a more effective rate than before, according to Dr Rob Afzal, senior fellow for laser and
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
Read this Article
Get access to this article with a Free Basic Account
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 2 free stories per week
- Personalised news alerts
- Daily and weekly newsletters
Unlimited Access
Access to all our premium news as a Premium News 365 Member. Corporate subscriptions available.
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 14-day free trial (cancel at any time)
- Unlimited access to all published premium news
More from Defence Notes
-
US FY2024 funding package passes as China closes military capability gap
The Pentagon has been operating under temporary funding since October 2023, which has impacted its main acquisition and development programmes, increasing the capability gap between the US and China.
-
US Pentagon to reduce investments in main acquisition programmes over FY2025
The DoD requested nearly US$850 billion to fund operations over the next fiscal year. Despite the amount being 1% higher than the FY2024 budget request, it has not covered the 3% inflation rate, which could impact the DoD’s main programmes in the medium and long term.
-
Haiti crisis forces Caribbean militaries to prepare for intervention
As gangs gain control of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s Caribbean neighbours have been preparing to intervene in the failed state, with the US and other partners waiting in the wings with equipment and financial support.
-
European Commission sets out first-ever European Defence Industrial strategy
The strategy set out by the Commission will aim to bolster Europe’s defence industry, foster innovation and strengthen international alliances.
-
Boeing fined $51 million due to unauthorised exports
An administrative settlement between the US Department of State and the manufacturer resolved 199 violations of US regulations including unauthorised exports of technical data to China.