The Future is Now! World's first laser gun factory opened

[Caelius]

Link

by Staff Writers
Redondo Beach CA (SPX) Jan 17, 2007
Northrop Grumman Corporation today opened a specialized facility exclusively for system integration and production of high-energy laser systems for military uses - the first of its kind by private industry in the United States. Located at the Space Technology sector's Space Park campus, the Directed Energy Production Facility is specifically designed for the production of high-energy, solid-state lasers and their integration onto military vehicles.
"Powerful military lasers, with their speed-of-light targeting capabilities and cost-effective operation, have the potential to transform the way we equip our armed forces defending our country abroad and protecting it at home against terrorist threats," said Alexis Livanos, president of Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector.

Noted Mike McVey, president of the company's Directed Energy Systems business area, "This new facility shows our commitment to directed energy systems for the military and reinforces our industrial leadership in all of the laser systems we build. This facility is an example of our long-term commitment to being the premier provider of high-energy lasers to the U.S. government, and it demonstrates our vision of how we will achieve that goal."

The first work in the facility will be for Phase 3 of the Joint High-Power Solid State Laser (JHPSSL) program, which will build and demonstrate the first 100 kW solid-state laser sufficient for a variety of force protection battlefield and precision strike missions. The facility also will house other laser systems the company is spearheading.

The facility will provide the capability to produce current and future generation technologies of lasers including fiber lasers even more powerful than 100kW. There will also be an integration area where electric lasers are integrated onto various military platforms, such as armored combat vehicles. With class 1,000 clean rooms and integrated laser safety systems, the facility can produce multiple laser systems at the same time

Looks like the battlefield of the Terminator/Star Wars movies isn't that too far off...

[Durallan]

Crazy, well thats just for vehicles at the moment, handheld lazer guns are probably still a few years or a decade off.

[RZZZA]

boo, make $&%# not kill.

[Richard]

I am dubious...especially considering this comes from a site called spacewar.com. Perhaps it means they manufacture prototypes at this facroty or something. As far as I'm aware, laser 'weapons' are very inefficient when compared to traditional projectile weapons. Like, you'd have to have something the size of a tank to do what a normal handgun does. Which is kinda useless unless you want your enemies to think you're really cool and leading edge. Like people who buy Ferraris when you can get a Jap import that does the same thing for 20% of the price.

[LSJ]

So far, laser weapons are really only usable for anti-missile/mortar/aircraft defence purposes. Offensively, they are not developed enough. You could mount a laser on the nose of a C-130 or something, but it would still be for defence, since lasers aren't practical for destroying tanks or infrastructure, and it would be too much of a waste to use on people.

[Oldgamer]

Like people who buy Ferraris when you can get a Jap import that does the same thing for 20% of the price.

People who buy Ferraris want to be seen driving Ferraris. That is the only logical purpose of a Ferrari.

I do understand the point you made, however.

The best application of a laser weapon would be to impact ... and yes, I said impact ... upon a weapon on a trajectory to a military satellite. A military laser is not designed to "burn" through a target. It's designed to cause impact damage. However, it takes a tremendous amount of power to do this (although it's been done in tests).

[Darkragnar]

Ah these Laser's arnt anything like the Ones youve seen in Films and Shows , there more Close to Industrial Lazers used to in Cutting and other stuff, so it not really that big a news just an eye catcher for the public.

[Markas]

I guess my Lightsaber will have to wait...

[Caelius]

Ah these Laser's arnt anything like the Ones youve seen in Films and Shows , there more Close to Industrial Lazers used to in Cutting and other stuff, so it not really that big a news just an eye catcher for the public.

While they are similar, the article specifically states that the lasers being utilized at the plant are for purely purely military applications, which probably means the kind that suck up a lot of juice.

As it's been said, battlefield solid-state laser tech hasn't advanced to the point where people will see hand held versions yet.

[Darkragnar]

While they are similar, the article specifically states that the lasers being utilized at the plant are for purely purely military applications, which probably means the kind that suck up a lot of juice.

As it's been said, battlefield solid-state laser tech hasn't advanced to the point where people will see hand held versions yet.

Ya but there just like Industrialized Lasers except used for military purposes ,thats why i said its just an eye catcher not more.

[Erik]

Ya but there just like Industrialized Lasers except used for military purposes ,thats why i said its just an eye catcher not more.

Industrial cutting lasers are generally in the 0.5 to 1.5 kW range.
These are 100kW lasers, so they are a lot stronger. (but nowhere strong enough to cut trough armor, obviously).

PS: I really love the term "defending our country abroad"
General: "I'm not attacking your country, I'm merely defending myself abroad". LOL.

Ummm... maybe they are just laser "targeting systems" with an exceptionally long range... and the website tries to make it seem like they are meant to be used as a destructive weapon.

I think they are for targeting systems and systems to bring down enemy missiles. (both already exist).
The article doesn't imply that they are for new weapons, just that it's the first commercial company to make them.

[burrek]

Ummm... maybe they are just laser "targeting systems" with an exceptionally long range... and the website tries to make it seem like they are meant to be used as a destructive weapon.

[Mythos]

Interested...led by a Greek, no less. One other interesting technology is caseless ammunition. I read somewhere that it is the first step towards blasters.

[Caelius]

Ummm... maybe they are just laser "targeting systems" with an exceptionally long range... and the website tries to make it seem like they are meant to be used as a destructive weapon.

I suggest you look up what the Solid-State Laser is.

These are 100kW lasers, so they are a lot stronger. (but nowhere strong enough to cut trough armor, obviously).

Yet.

The article doesn't imply that they are for new weapons, just that it's the first commercial company to make them.

Uh yes it does. First line actually:

Northrop Grumman Corporation today opened a specialized facility exclusively for system integration and production of high-energy laser systems for military uses

And Northrup Grumman can hardly be called a civilian commercial company.

[Erik]

double post due to connection error

[Erik]

Northrop Grumman Corporation today opened a specialized facility exclusively for system integration and production of high-energy laser systems for military uses

And Northrup Grumman can hardly be called a civilian commercial company.

Ehhh.. Northrup Grumman is a commercial company.

Company Overview
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

http://www.northropgrumman.com/about_us/about_us.html

Their main customers are governments, but that doesn't make them any less civilian.

The military already uses high-energy laser systems.
So the only news is that GN opened a specialized facility to make them. (apparently they just made them in a general purpose facility until now)

The US does have a laser capable of cutting through armor. They are to be mounted on specialized 747s(I think) with a ball turret type aiming device. They are used to shoot down ICBMs.

I did not know ICBM's are armored.
I know tanks and other military land vehicles are, but armored rockets? doesn't that make them a bit too heavy?

Correct me if I'm wrong.. but isn't a laser just concentrated light? And if so, wouldn't a simple lens or mirror be able to divert it?

Amplified light, actually.
L.A.S.E.R. = Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

You can deflect dangerous laser beams if you have a good enough mirror (ie: the mirror has to be able to reflect almost all of the light, normal mirrors absorb much of the light and only reflect parts of it)

I'm not sure what the effect of lenses is.
Because the laser beam is very narrow I don't think lenses will scatter the beam as much as they scatter normal light.
And the laser beam might destroy the lens if it isn't transparent enough (again: normal lenses aren't perfectly transparent)

[Caelius]

Ehhh.. Northrup Grumman is a commercial company.

Well of course it is, that's not the point I was trying to make. What I meant was that NG can pretty much be thrown in with other giants like Lockheed, Raytheon, etc. as a defense corporation.

The military already uses high-energy laser systems.

I wouldn't call them high-energy, most of the current ones in used could hardly be called weapons. Not to mention that almost all of them are chemical lasers, which have a finite supply before they have to be replenished. Solid-state lasers are entirely different.

[Erik]

Hmmm...something is wrong with the server, first my posts didn't show up now there are 3 of them.

[Erik]

delete

[R~Tricky]

Ehhh.. Northrup Grumman is a commercial company.
Their main customers are governments, but that doesn't make them any less civilian.

from the perspective of defense procurement in the US DoD, Northrop G. is about as military as it can get without being part of DARPA...much like the French and Dassault or Aerospatiale, they dont run the risk of failing like an ordinary commercial company:hmmm: but dont get me started on dodgy arms dealers