Raytheon delivered the first high-energy laser counter-unmanned aerial system to the US Air Force earlier this month.
The Raytheon system will be deployed overseas as part of a year-long Air Force experiment to train operators and test the system’s effectiveness in real-world conditions.
Raytheon’s high-energy laser weapon system uses an advanced variant of the company’s Multi-spectral Targeting System, an electro-optical/infrared sensor, to detect, identify and track rogue drones.
Once targeted, the system engages the threat, neutralising the UAS in a matter of seconds.
Roy Azevedo, President of Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, said: “Five years ago, few people worried about the drone threat. Now, we hear about attacks or incursions all the time. Our customers saw this coming and asked us to develop a ready-now counter-UAS capability. We did just that by going from the drawing board to delivery in less than 24 months.”
Raytheon installed its high-energy laser weapon system on a small all-terrain vehicle. On a single charge from a standard 220-volt outlet, the HELWS can deliver intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability and dozens of precise laser shots. It can also be paired with a generator to provide a nearly infinite number of shots.
image from Shutterstock
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