The US government has just received a new powerful, high-energy miniature laser from Northrop Grumman. The new laser beam, the Phantom is a weapon small enough (91 kg). Lifting, carrying, and installing won’t be a problem for small groups of soldiers. The design is for rapid deployment in various tactical situations; the device is ready for deployment in in-action cases.
A new laser weapon is small but very effective
The small, high-powered laser beam has a volume of about 12 cubic feet (0.34 cubic meters). Making it about the size of a small refrigerator. Thoroughbred Grumman reports that users of the new laser can integrate it into other subsystems for testing and delivery to military customers.
The Army’s interest in lasers is increasing as a game-changing technology. Due to its ability to engage targets at the speed of light at a fraction of the cost of projectile weapons (per shot). Most of the focus was on the power of the laser, how to target it, and how to control it over long distances. However, even if a laser weapon possesses enormous power, if the design is bulky, fragile, and weighs several tons, it becomes practically unusable in most situations. Hence, a small, reliable, and powerful laser, such as the phantom.
But this is only part of the problem; the laser should work too. A laser produces a beam of coherent light by emitting photons at the same frequency and in phase. Preventing the waves from spreading. The U.S. Army’s deployment of lasers in practical combat situations has faced challenges such as size, power requirements, and prohibitive costs since their first use during the Vietnam War.
Investment in developing laser weapons
Earlier this year, The Debrief reported that the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that the Pentagon spends nearly $1 billion annually on developing directed energy weapons, such as lasers, that provide advanced defense against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), projectiles, missiles, and other threats.
“However, the Department of Defense has had trouble getting these technologies out of the laboratory and into the field for several reasons,” said the summary of the US Government Accountability Office report, which noted that one of the challenges the DoD faces includes “determining how to use them for missions.” The report was added.
The report also notes that only the Army currently has a transition plan for laser weapons development, which includes scheduling and stakeholder roles. With the goal of assisting the military in implementing directed energy weapons, Northrop Grumman has developed high-energy lasers for the US Armed Forces.
The real “imaginary danger”.
These systems include the Strategic Illuminating Laser (SILL) and the 300-kilowatt High Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS), designed to counter fast-moving threats such as drones. The company aims to make the new Phantom a practical and accessible addition to the American arsenal due to its small size.
“By miniaturizing this advanced capability, we expand the scope of our technology and continue to lead the way in high-energy lasers,” explains Robert Fleming, vice president and general manager of Strategic Space Systems at Northrop Grumman. “Northrop Grumman uses its expertise in directed energy to provide “an extremely compact, lightweight, and effective laser for warfighters.”
