SinoDefence Forum

BrotherofSnake

The High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS), a weapon system that is under development by The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), will weigh around 1,650 lbs (750 kg). In an effort to combine the high energy density of a solid state laser with the thermal management of a liquid laser, the "HEL weapon" as it has been dubbed by its developers, is a prototype capable of firing a mild one kilowatt (kW) beam. Plans are underway to build a stronger 15-kW version by the end of 2005 and an even more powerful version that will produce a 150-kW beam that is capable of knocking down a missile will be ready by 2007 for fitting onto fighter aircraft.

Liquid lasers that can fire a continuous beam require large cooling systems, while solid state laser beams are more intense but must be fired in pulses to stop them from overheating. In the past, both types of lasers were very bulky because of their need for these huge cooling systems. The only aircraft they could be fitted to were the size of jumbo jets.

Source:
http://www.darpa.mil/tto/programs/hellads.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050824/tc_nm/laser_dc_1

BrotherofSnake

CNC Generals here we come!

MIGleader

i doubt such a weapon would actually enter swervice till at least 10-15 years. the tech is too new and the concept...will need alot of testing.

BrotherofSnake

Do you have proof of this?

Liberator

I agree 100% with MIGleader.

Brother of snake, do you have proof that your source are actual info gathered from the pentagon??? Cuz i doubt it.

MIGleader said he DOUBT it, does not say he is 100% sure.

rommel

To answer Liberator, the first link is really the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). That's the central research and development organization for the Department of Defense (DoD)

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BrotherofSnake

Well, the U.S. has been toying with lasers since the mid 90's so the HELLADS should be operational in the 07-08 timeframe.