Laser Phalanx test

So they have finally got a working model. I would interested in how they solved the “fog problem!” Back when AW&ST first exposed that the Soviet Union had several laser, maser and, electron beam weapon systems under development. One of the programs the Soviet Navy had was to build a laser as a CIWS for the battle-cruiser RS Kirov operational by the late 1980s! Hearing about this President Reagan proposed, “The Strategic Defense Initiative” -Star Wars. The USA had no coherent program at that time, the three US services were not working together.
One of the programs within Star Wars was a laser system that would act as an CIWS for the USN! The problem was a continuous beam had real problems with fog! The fog would diffuse the beam. So, it was decided to pulse the laser. This would allow each pulse to burn through a little more fog and the next pulse would burn a little further.
I would like to find out how this problem was solved.

IIRC they are now using a pack of 6 industrial lasers, not a single laser. I.e. multiple beams

Re: Laser Phalanx test

So they have finally got a working model. I would interested in how they solved the “fog problem!” Back when AW&ST first exposed that the Soviet Union had several laser, maser and, electron beam weapon systems under development. One of the programs the Soviet Navy had was to build a laser as a CIWS for the battle-cruiser RS Kirov operational by the late 1980s! Hearing about this President Reagan proposed, “The Strategic Defense Initiative” -Star Wars. The USA had no coherent program at that time, the three US services were not working together.
One of the programs within Star Wars was a laser system that would act as an CIWS for the USN! The problem was a continuous beam had real problems with fog! The fog would diffuse the beam. So, it was decided to pulse the laser. This would allow each pulse to burn through a little more fog and the next pulse would burn a little further.
I would like to find out how this problem was solved.

The articles i’ve read said 32kw.

Article grabbed from another forum, originally posted by ‘buglerbilly.

By Colin Clark Sunday, July 18th, 2010 5:53 pm

For the first time, a solid-state laser has successfully destroyed a flying drone in a naval environment.

The tests, performed by Raytheon with the Navy, occurred off of San Nicholas Island, Calif. over several days in late May. Four UAVs were destroyed, according to Mike Booen, vice president of directed energy.

Booen spoke with DoD Buzz in an exclusive interview at the Farnborough Air Show. The company mounted six 5.5kw solid-state lasers with a Phalanx gun system. The radar used the Phalanx’s targeting system, Booen said. And the famous guns could be used to supplement the radar.

Aside from UAVs, the laser could be used against Katyushas and other smaller rockets, as well as against swarming small boats, a growing threat to large Navy ships. Of course, the means it could, in theory at least, be used against pirates.

The effort was funded by Raytheon internal research dollars until the May shootdown, Booen said, when the Navy paid. Booen would not disclose how much the company has spent and deferred all questions about Navy funding to the service. The laser effort is not yet a program of record, meaning there is no dedicated money for it in the Pentagon budget. After additional testing, Booen said the company thought it could become a regularly funded program by 2016.

Read more: http://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/07/18/new-laser-is-bad-day-for-uavs/#ixzz0u7zQMWX0

White Sands Testing New Laser Weapon System
Published on ASDNews: Feb 4, 2009

(White Sands Missile Range, N.M., January 30, 2009) — White Sands Missile Range is testing a new weapon system known as the Laser Centurion Demonstrator.

The system, developed by Raytheon, combines proven radar and threat-detection technology with the latest in laser weapons. This demonstration model is intended to prove the capabilities and effectiveness of the new laser weapon as part of the Laser Area Defense Systems program, officials said.

The new laser system is designed to replace the 20mm cannon on the Navy’s Phalanx system and the Army’s Centurion system, according to Raytheon’s Web site.

The integration of an advanced directed energy weapon into an existing conventional weapon system helps keep the system’s costs down as well as allowing an easier transition from one system to another, officials said.

The Phalanx is an air and missile-defense system used on nearly every ship in the fleet. Converted to be transported and fired from a trailer, it is also used by the Army under the name Centurion to provide defense from air and missile threats as well as defense against mortar and artillery attacks. As an upgrade to the Phalanx and Centurion, the laser system is a program that is jointly funded by the Navy and Army. Other services are also interested in the laser itself for possible integration into other weapon systems.

“Directed energy is getting more and more prevalent in weapon systems,” said Col. Bruce Lewis, White Sands Test Center commander.

Initial tests with the demonstrator have been positive. The laser has proven capable of rapidly penetrating armor plating even when not at full power, and system setup has been very easy.

“We are excited to be testing system capabilities by shooting down mortar rounds in the coming weeks,” said Sal Rodriguez, senior flight test engineer with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Sands Missile Range detachment. Rodriguez also thanked all the members of Team White Sands who have supported the program while it prepares to test the system.

The Laser Centurion will fill the same role as the conventional cannon-equipped version while providing a commander with more options and capabilities, officials said. The laser-based system will still be able to engage targets like mortars, rockets, and missiles, but without the drawbacks of limited ammunition. Also, since the laser does not use any kind of solid shot like the cannon, it can be used to better defend populated areas without the fear of the “20mm shower” that conventional air-defense guns cause when their bullets fall back to earth.

Since it is also able to be used against small surface targets, the laser will be able to be used in peacekeeping and anti-piracy missions without drawing the kind of attention a cannon would.

“At (short range) it’s a nice deterrent, and without the big bang of a gun,” said Lt. Shawn Mitchell, assistant officer in charge of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division’s WSMR detachment.

Unlike previous laser systems of this kind that used chemical reactions to generate the necessary power for the laser, the Laser Centurion uses a solid-state laser that can run off any appropriately powerful source of electricity.

“It’s like the difference between an electric car and a gas-burning car… this is a very green system,” said Dan McMaster, a program manager from Raytheon. This makes the Laser Centurion a very flexible weapon system as it will be able to run off land-based generators and power supplies just as well as it will off of a ship’s reactor.

http://www.asdnews.com/news/19278/White_Sands_Testing_New_Laser_Weapon_System.htm

Raytheon:
http://www.raytheon.com/newsroom/technology/rtn10_fas/features/directedeng/
http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1600&pagetemplate=release

LADS (20kW) http://www.raytheon.com/newsroom/feature/stellent/groups/public/documents/content/cms04_025223.pdf
The Laser Area Defense System (LADS) combines the capabilities of the 20-millimeter Phalanx weapon system with the power and effectiveness of lasers to provide fast, precise search, track and engage capabilities for directing laser energy on target, destroying mortars and other munitions in flight.

So, I think it would be 50kW.