The US Navy is developing laser systems to counter Iranian boats and naval drones

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The US Navy is developing and testing laser systems to counter fast boats, maritime (surface) drones, small aircraft and kamikaze UAVs. This is due to a sharp increase in the level of threat from Iran and a number of other hostile countries in the Greater Middle East. This was reported on January 14 by the American edition of FedScoop, referring to a senior representative of the US Navy.

5th Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Brad Cooper told the Center for Strategic and International Studies that the drone threat has increased dramatically in recent years. The problem has been exacerbated recently by the emergence of new capabilities for networking artificial intelligence (AI) drones to form swarms, swarms, and other formations that can create large-scale synchronized (coordinated) attacks.



According to him, directed energy weapons have recently been tested in the region as a means of neutralizing the mentioned threats. Over this by technology The US Navy is working with Israel.

In addition, the US Navy is working on creating its own unmanned systems to detect enemy drones both in the air and on the surface of the water. For example, in December 2021, the 59th Task Force of the 5th Fleet, which specializes in drones, tested the Saildrone Explorer "sail" drone during an exercise in the Gulf of Aqaba off the coast of Jordan.


Said drone was launched in partnership with the Jordanian military and has an AI system on board that can control the movement of the sailboat itself and collect data on its surroundings. Innovation is one of the key aspects of deterrence that the 5th Fleet is working on.


Cooper explained that the 59th Task Force was formed last September but already has partnerships with Bahrain and Jordan. In addition, the 5th Fleet also has contractors working on new technologies.

Drone companies work with us on the “own contractor” model

- he specified.

Cooper added that with the help of AI, data received by unmanned systems can be processed to detect moving objects at sea in order to improve visibility over the water surface.

We remind you that in 2021 Americans informedthat the landing ship Portland (USS Portland LPD-27) of the San Antonio type (part of the 5th Fleet) successfully tested the LWSD Mk.2 Mod.0 solid-state combat laser with an estimated power of 150 kW in the Gulf of Aden.
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  1. 0
    15 January 2022 21: 37
    The laser is a wonderful thing, and to threaten such a prodigy to anyone, from Zimbabwean horse archers to Somali pirates, from Iranian boats to Russian ICBMs, is simply wonderful. Now imagine - this laser must not only be made powerful enough to burn through something thicker than paper, it must be kept in place while it aims at a moving target, and if the laser carrier also dangles on the waves like a poop in an ice hole, yes plus, the laser beam in the atmosphere is distorted, refracted, the dispersion of light and all the delights of physics from the "physical optics" section - I find it hard to believe that laser technologies not in space, but in the atmosphere at distances of more than a hundred meters will be like - then generally work. And when a blank flies towards you and the distance is 100 m, I doubt that the computer will quickly calculate the trajectory, the guns will have time to quickly turn around, etc.
    spend billions of dollars to burn pirate punts with lasers - oh, please!
    Although Gatling from the century before last is enough for this task
  2. -3
    15 January 2022 21: 55
    Right now there will be cons)
    Our complex "Peresvet" - what can it do? He has nothing to do in the field, from what to be powered? Where is the socket? He can work on a diesel generator, God forbid, a couple of hours. And if no one attacked during this time of combat readiness? Then it's zero.
    To shoot into the atmosphere with a laser - to knock out a satellite? Clouds are cumulus, noctilucent, the ozone layer - where will this beam eventually arrive? Like the Americans - the same task - to poke a needle and get into the eye of a needle at a distance of a couple of meters, try it!
  3. 0
    2 February 2022 12: 36
    Quote: shiva
    Right now there will be cons)
    Our complex "Peresvet" - what can it do? He has nothing to do in the field, from what to be powered? Where is the socket? He can work on a diesel generator, God forbid, a couple of hours. And if no one attacked during this time of combat readiness? Then it's zero.
    To shoot into the atmosphere with a laser - to knock out a satellite? Clouds are cumulus, noctilucent, the ozone layer - where will this beam eventually arrive? Like the Americans - the same task - to poke a needle and get into the eye of a needle at a distance of a couple of meters, try it!

    And where did you see lasers on diesel generators?
    At a minimum, such a source of pumping the working fluid will not be able to provide work. As a maximum - the Nobel Prize for the direct conversion of chemical energy without losses in a pulsed mode, by means of a diesel engine.