Air Tactical Laser

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Marc 1

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
F35Owns said:
Hey guys,

Thought you might want to look at this....

Advanced tactical laser aircraft fires high-power laser in flight

Note: this is not the ABL.

USAF is one step away from using these in service. It said it hit a land target, which is nice but, I am really interested in it hitting a air-bourne target.

Can you say: lasers on F-35's?
Click to expand...

Only as designators. There's a reason why the ABL is based on a 747 and the device mentioned in the article is mounted in/on a C130 - space/weight etc. In short, it won't fit on/in a F35, not now at least, and it will probably need many more years of miniaturisation and development before it will.
 
F

F35Owns

New Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
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Marc 1 said:
Only as designators. There's a reason why the ABL is based on a 747 and the device mentioned in the article is mounted in/on a C130 - space/weight etc. In short, it won't fit on/in a F35, not now at least, and it will probably need many more years of miniaturisation and development before it will.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, must have missed the C-130 in the article. Well, not all is lost, there are over 2,000 C-130's in the U.K. and U.S. Air Force's. The great thing about tech is, it doesn't take long for things to get smaller. Hell, look the PC from 10 years ago, to today. Although, can't really compare the two, being that Military tech will take longer to get smaller, then computers.
 
E

energo

Member
Marc 1 said:
Only as designators. There's a reason why the ABL is based on a 747 and the device mentioned in the article is mounted in/on a C130 - space/weight etc. In short, it won't fit on/in a F35, not now at least, and it will probably need many more years of miniaturisation and development before it will.
Click to expand...
The Joint High Power Solid-State Laser (JHPSSL) program by Northrop Grumman aims at producing a compact, better than 100KW solid state laser. The F-35B is one of the platforms which are being looked at. The F-35B is well suited because the laser will replace the lift-fan and be powered directly by the engines drive shaft. It has been reported that it could be operational before 2020, if sufficient funding is provided.

Joint High Power Solid-State Laser (JHPSSL) Program
Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman Scales New Heights in Electric Laser Power, Achieves 100 Kilowatts From a Solid-State Laser


B. Bolsøy
Oslo
 
M

Marc 1

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
energo said:
The Joint High Power Solid-State Laser (JHPSSL) program by Northrop Grumman aims at producing a compact, better than 100KW solid state laser. The F-35B is one of the platforms which are being looked at. The F-35B is well suited because the laser will replace the lift-fan and be powered directly by the engines drive shaft. It has been reported that it could be operational before 2020, if sufficient funding is provided.

Joint High Power Solid-State Laser (JHPSSL) Program
Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman Scales New Heights in Electric Laser Power, Achieves 100 Kilowatts From a Solid-State Laser


B. Bolsøy
Oslo
Click to expand...
I see a very big COULD and IF in the above press releases. I have no doubt that eventually the lasers will be small and light enough to be carried on a F35 - the question is realistically when. Thanks anyway for the interesting link.
 
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