January 21, 2021
Lasers are Bringing Army Missile Defense Into the Future
The U.S. Army wants a deadlier laser weapon that won’t just burn a target, but rather will slice it up
by Michael Peck
Here's What You Need to Remember: Continuous-wave laser technology has been around long enough that the military has been able to ruggedize the system for use in the field. Over the last twenty years, pulsed lasers “have gone from requiring dedicated buildings at national laboratories to sitting on academic optics tables across the country,â€
The U.S. Army wants a deadlier laser weapon that won’t just burn a target, but rather will slice it up.
Instead of low-power continuous-wave lasers that emit a steady stream of energy, the Army wants pulsed lasers that shoot intermittent but intense bursts that can quickly destroy a target. Pulsed lasers are already used commercially for precision cutting and etching.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/lasers-are-bringing-army-missile-defense-future-176727
