Boeing announces beam control contract
Boeing has won a contract for developing a beam control system that could be used to provide accuracy for laser weapons on US Navy warships, the company announced on 17 February.
Under the contract, Boeing will design and develop a prototype High Power Beam Control Subsystem (HP BCSS) compatible with solid-state High Energy Lasers (HEL). The prototype will be compatible with systems that are being developed for the Office of Naval Research's (ONR's) solid state laser technology maturation programme.
The beam control system will focus and hold a laser on a moving aimpoint for long enough to disable the target - a challenge, given the constant motion of the maritime environment.
The contract will capitalise on work performed by Boeing with the US Army's HEL Mobile Demonstrator (MD), which underwent successful demonstrations at Eglin air force base in Florida in 2014.
During these demonstrations, the HEL MD acquired, tracked and destroyed targets in foggy and windy conditions. ONR shared technical data on energy systems in maritime environments with Boeing and the army. In recent testing, the HEL MD also disabled unmanned aerial vehicles and mortars.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Hanwha Ocean and TKMS are firming up their Canadian next-gen submarine proposals]()
Hanwha Ocean and TKMS are firming up their Canadian next-gen submarine proposals
CPSP competitors are proposing platforms fitted with advanced, next-generation capabilities to be built and sustained in cooperation with the Canadian industry.
-
![UK’s $1 billion AUKUS support request signals strong ongoing US collaboration]()
UK’s $1 billion AUKUS support request signals strong ongoing US collaboration
The latest foreign military sales request from the UK has implications for the future of the programme and collaboration between the three nations.
-
![What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement]()
What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
