AFSOC to finally mount a laser weapon on an AC-130 gunship

[rangerrebew]

Editors' Pick|18,451 views|May 15, 2020,12:36pm EDT
U.S. Special Forces Test Laser Gunship For Covert Strikes
David Hambling
 

The prospect of laser fire from above moved closer with an announcement from the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) that they will test fire a high-energy laser weapon from an AC-130J aircraft in 2022. The plan was disclosed at the at the Virtual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference this week.

The AC-130J Ghostrider is a fearsome flying arsenal. Like its Vietnam-era gunship predecessors, it carries a radar-guided 105mm howitzer and 30mm rapid fire cannon. The modern version also has precision strike capability, dropping 250-pound GPS-guided GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs and 34-pound laser-guided AGM-176 Griffin missiles.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2020/05/15/special-forces-test-laser-gunship-for-covert-strikes/#3e21fc403598

[rangerrebew]

AFSOC to finally mount a laser weapon on an AC-130 gunship

    Jared Keller
    May 18, 2020 9:00 AM EDT


After years of funding woes, Air Force Special Operations Command is on track to fire a high-powered laser weapon from an AC-130 gunship sometime in fiscal year 2022, officials said.

Speaking during the Virtual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference last week, Air Force Col. Melissa Johnson — program executive officer for fixed-wing programs at SOCOM — stated that the command is inching towards strapping a laser weapon aboard an AC-130J Ghostrider following a series of studies and ground tests.

“This is pretty exciting," Johnson said, according to National Defense magazine. "And if it is successful — and we are planning for success — then it will feed into our new requirements and potentially a new program down the road."

https://taskandpurpose.com/military-tech/air-force-laser-ac130-gunship

[Idiot]

AFSOC to finally mount a laser weapon on an AC-130 gunship

    Jared Keller
    May 18, 2020 9:00 AM EDT


After years of funding woes, Air Force Special Operations Command is on track to fire a high-powered laser weapon from an AC-130 gunship sometime in fiscal year 2022, officials said.

Speaking during the Virtual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference last week, Air Force Col. Melissa Johnson — program executive officer for fixed-wing programs at SOCOM — stated that the command is inching towards strapping a laser weapon aboard an AC-130J Ghostrider following a series of studies and ground tests.

“This is pretty exciting," Johnson said, according to National Defense magazine. "And if it is successful — and we are planning for success — then it will feed into our new requirements and potentially a new program down the road."

https://taskandpurpose.com/military-tech/air-force-laser-ac130-gunship

I wonder if it uses it's own generator or lithium batteries.  I'd hate to be on the receiving end of this baby.

[Cyber Liberty]

They're looking for it to be 60KW at minimum.  For comparison, a laser pointer is 5mW, so it would be at least 12 Million times more powerful than that.  I'd like to see what that does to a Humvee.

[Idiot]

They're looking for it to be 60KW at minimum.  For comparison, a laser pointer is 5mW, so it would be at least 12 Million times more powerful than that.  I'd like to see what that does to a Humvee.

So an inverter plugged into the C-130 cigarette lighter should probably do it.   

[roamer_1]

Now THAT'S Spooky.

[Cyber Liberty]

So an inverter plugged into the C-130 cigarette lighter should probably do it.   

   I'll bet it makes an interesting sound.

[Free Vulcan]

  I'll bet it makes an interesting sound.

Pew pew pew pew!