The Navy Is Testing Its Seaborne Death Lasers

[rangerrebew]

The Navy Is Testing Its Seaborne Death Lasers
The Laser Weapon System (LaWS) is undergoing tests in the Persian Gulf on board the USS Ponce.

By Erik Schechter
Nov 18, 2014

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The Navy just completed an operational demo of a new ship-based Laser Weapon System (LaWS) in the Persian Gulf. The 30-kilowatt prototype system, mounted on the USS Ponce transport ship back in August, is meant to take out enemy drones or attack boats that might swarm a large vessel.

LaWS has already aced maritime tests in 2011 and 2012, but the Navy wanted to see how it would perform at sea under the kind of harsh conditions it could encounter in battle. Kevin Stephens, spokesman for the U.S. Fifth Fleet, says that LaWS lased static targets during the test and performed as expected, thought the Navy is still sifting through all the data.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a13188/the-navy-is-testing-its-seaborne-death-lasers-17443103/

[thackney]

http://www.public.navy.mil/surflant/afsbi15/Pages/default.aspx



USS PONCE was originally commissioned on July 10, 1971 and designated as an amphibious transport dock (LPD) ship. PONCE became a workhorse of the Atlantic Fleet with the Proud Lions completing 27 North Atlantic, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf deployments over the next 42 years. In 2011, PONCE was selected for decommissioning after her final deployment and began deactivation in November 2011.

In January 2012, the Commander, Central Forces Command, requested an Afloat Forward Staging Base to conduct operations from the sea. United States Fleet Forces Command, under the leadership of Admiral Harvey, with CNO concurrence, took point and coordinated the efforts of industry partners with Military Sealift Command to fill the Combatant Commander’s request.

USS PONCE gained new life from a March 30 planned decommissioning ceremony, and manned with a hybrid crew of Military Sealift Command Mariners and Individual Augmentee Sailors began a 60 day sprint to meet a 01 June 2012 deployment date. PONCE was reconfigured to support mine countermeasure operations and act as a mission support vessel for FIFTH FLEET operations.

USS PONCE deployed on June 01, 2012 and is currently serving in the Central Command area of responsibility.

[thackney]

Laser Weapon System On The USS Ponce
US Naval Research, YouTube Screenshot

Damage done by laser weapons is a function of power and time. The longer a laser can stay on a target, like a drone or an incoming missile, the more damage it can do. The more powerful that laser is, the less time it needs to spend burning its target. The U.S. Navy already has a 30-kilowatt laser mounted on a ship. Yesterday, at a summit on directed energy weapons in Washington, D.C., the Navy announced it plans to go bigger: 150 kilowatts.

http://www.popsci.com/navy-is-going-to-test-big-laser-soon
June 24, 2016

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Video of the weapon hitting target
http://www.popsci.com/watch-navy-fire-laser-persian-gulf

[guitar4jesus]

Nice to see them still using an Austin class LPD for something.  Wish it was my old girl, Dubuque (LPD-8.) 

[uglybiker]

Death Lasers

Sounds like a thrash metal band.

[GtHawk]

Not possible, everyone knows that laser defense systems were just a pipe dream fantasy of Reagan.

[guitar4jesus]

Not possible, everyone knows that laser defense systems were just a pipe dream fantasy of Reagan.

[Smokin Joe]

Not possible, everyone knows that laser defense systems were just a pipe dream fantasy of Reagan.

You didn't think they were really spending $600 each on claw hammers?

[rangerrebew]

You didn't think they were really spending $600 each on claw hammers?

And $100 per screw which was 11 cents at the corner hardware and $300 toilet seats?