Vehicle-based laser weapons inch toward reality
Raytheon will conduct work to develop a vehicle-based laser weapon device under an $11 million contract announced on 13 August. The work will be carried out as part of the Office of Naval Research’s Ground Based Air Defense (GBAD) Directed Energy On-the-Move Future Naval Capabilities programme.
The contract will see Raytheon develop and demonstrate a short-range laser device capable of being mounted on a Humvee that can defeat low-flying threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). With a minimum power output of 25kW, the laser weapon system will be packaged to meet the size, weight and power requirements of the US Marine Corps.
The work will draw on Raytheon’s planar waveguide (PWG) technology, which is capable of generating sufficient power to effectively engage small aircraft.
Bill Hart, vice president, Raytheon Space Systems, said: ‘Raytheon's laser solution generates high power output in a small, light-weight rugged package ideally suited for mobile platforms.
‘Our PWG laser architecture is scalable: we can achieve increasingly higher power levels with the same compact design we're using for GBAD. Raytheon is paving the way for fielded directed energy weapon systems in the very near future with the demonstration of a marine Humvee-based high energy laser.’
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![US and Europe continue moves to boost 155mm munitions production]()
US and Europe continue moves to boost 155mm munitions production
The new US facility for 155mm artillery projectiles is a reflection of a worldwide trend which has also seen Rheinmetall and BAE Systems working to improve capability in the same area.
-
![Dronebuster product line and production capability expanded]()
Dronebuster product line and production capability expanded
DZYNE Technologies, the maker of Dronebuster counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) devices, has announced plans to expand production and released details on a new version of the system. This follows the release of an all-in-one kit system earlier this year.
-
![Ireland plans for radar capability in 2026]()
Ireland plans for radar capability in 2026
The Irish Government has previously outlined ambitious plans, the furthest reach of these being the possible purchase of fighter aircraft to provide a capability the country’s defence force currently doesn’t have. A more advanced procurement effort for a primary radar is being fast tracked.
