Land Warfare
Raytheon Intelligence & Space delivers another Air Force laser system ready for operational use (sponsored)
This article is brought to you by Raytheon Technologies
Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business, recently delivered the next high-energy laser weapon system to the U.S. Air Force.
The HELWS technology will also be deployed in key regions outside the United States for operator training and experimental testing and evaluation. Following the completion of the Directed Energy Weapon Initial Operational Employment Review and Approval Process, HELWS is now certified for use in combat.
“HELWS builds directly on the feedback we received from operators in the field,” said Annabel Flores, vice president of Electronic Warfare Systems at RI&S. “We’ve made the system more rugged. We improved its accuracy and overall efficiency based on real-world lessons learned in an operational environment.”
This system features a number of improvements, including ruggedized enhancements to ensure transportability and survivability in a wide range of operational environments; a new beam director for more accurate targeting; and a robust power system for additional magazine depth – the ability to fire the laser for a longer period of time.
“You can take down dozens of drones on a single charge,” said Flores. “And if you are plugged into a generator, you have deep, rechargeable magazines.”
Mounted on a Polaris MRZR all-terrain vehicle, HELWS uses a variant of RI&S’ Multi-spectral Targeting System, an electro-optical/infrared sensor that detects, identifies and tracks unmanned aerial threats.
A prior version of HELWS was deployed in a forward operating environment earlier last year and recently passed 1,000 hours of operations. RI&S is contracted to deliver another further improved system to the Air Force later this year.
Learn more about RI&S’ Advanced Technologies.
More from Land Warfare
-
PREMIUM: Vampire MRL sinks teeth into Indonesia
Indonesia's military set to receive multiple rocket launchers produced under licence in the country.
-
British MoD awards Thales UK a £98 million air defence missile contract
Thales UK won a five-year contract to maintain the SHORAD capability for the British Army and Royal Marines. The £98.4 million (US $136 million) deal will secure 119 jobs at the company’s facility in Belfast.
-
Dutch Armed Forces will receive 2,800 new trucks
The Dutch MoD has acquired 2,800 new Scania Gryphus in three different versions to replace the 30 years old fleet of DAF 4 trucks. Deliveries to the armed forces are scheduled to start from this week.
-
PREMIUM: Japan plans a successor to its LAV
The current state of play in Japan's defence industry means that Tokyo might have to look overseas for its next LAV 4x4.
-
PREMIUM: CATV tender looms on the horizon
A tender under the Collaborative All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) programme is expected to be released in 2021. Cross-border collaboration is intended to secure greater commonality at reduced costs, as well as deliver economies of scale in production.
-
PREMIUM: South Korea boosts efficiency of its artillery
More ammunition resupply vehicles, 8x8 command vehicles, unmanned artillery platforms and tactical surface-to-surface missiles are all on their way in South Korea.