Laser weapons to counter UAVs explode

Boeing Corporation has just announced the successful testing of a 5kw laser weapon system that can shoot down UAVs weighing up to 600 kg and flying at a maximum speed of 460 km/h. This system has been tested by the US military in the Middle East, allowing it to shoot down UAVs at a distance of 200 m to 2.5 km.

Stryker combat vehicle equipped with laser weapon system

New trend

In recent years, UAVs have become the main weapon in many conflicts such as Ukraine and the conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah (Lebanon), Hamas (Palestine)... Houthi forces in Yemen, or the Iranian army itself, have also used UAVs to attack targets recently. The advantages of UAVs are low cost, high flexibility and accuracy are also highly appreciated. Meanwhile, to intercept UAVs, many countries, typically Israel, are having to use interceptor missiles at very high costs, the price of each interceptor missile can be up to hundreds of thousands of USD.

However, the solution to counter UAVs is gradually changing. The Defend Post reported on September 14 that the US is installing a 26-kw laser weapon on the Stryker infantry fighting vehicle line for early deployment on the battlefield. In fact, since 2022, the US has also deployed combat vehicles equipped with P-HEL laser launchers with a capacity of 20 kW. Recently, this weapon has participated in successfully shooting down many UAVs in the Middle East. In particular, the cost of this weapon is very low, only about 10 USD (about 260,000 VND) for each shot. It is expected that some upcoming US laser weapons will have a shooting cost reduced to only about 3 USD/shot (less than 80,000 VND).

US warship tests laser weapon in the Pacific Ocean

Currently, the US has developed many different types of laser weapons. Not only do they have low operating costs, these systems are also easily integrated into combat vehicles, even small infantry vehicles, so they are highly flexible and easy to deploy in many places. Laser weapons are highly automated, easy to control in combat, and some even only need to be controlled by an Xbox game controller. Thanks to that, they can be put into actual combat quite quickly without taking too much training time like many other types of weapons.

Besides the US, the UK has also deployed a laser weapon system called DragonFire, which costs about 13 USD per shot. In particular, DragonFire is said to be capable of shooting objects the size of a coin at a distance of 1 km.

Describe how laser weapons work

Graphics: Phat Tien

East Asian Heat

Recently, the US has deployed laser weapons to the East Asia region amid growing concerns about UAVs.

Recently, in addition to fighter jets and warships, Chinese UAVs have also been frequently present in the region, including sea areas such as the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and the East China Sea. In that context, the Pentagon has just mobilized the destroyer USS Preble (DDG-88) to join the 7th Fleet and stationed in Japan. Belonging to the familiar Arleigh Burke class, but the USS Preble stands out when integrating a laser weapon system with high air defense capabilities, especially UAV interception.

Commenting on the US move when answering Thanh Nien , Dr. Satoru Nagao (Hudson Research Institute, USA) analyzed: "New technology is creating new tactics. Along with missiles, UAVs can be considered a new type of "missile". In the Ukraine conflict, UAVs play an important firepower role. Ukraine has used many UAVs to attack both on land and at sea. Therefore, the US deployed warships integrated with laser weapons to Japan to enhance its ability to defend against UAVs when this type of weapon becomes a new trend in war".

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bung-no-vu-khi-laser-khac-che-uav-185241016215350951.htm