Laser Weapons in the Military

Laser weapons used to belong only to the realm of science fiction with Starwars being the most classic example. Recently due to improvements in laser technology, the possibility of real laser weapons is becoming more and more real. The question no is not do laser weapons exist, the question is how advanced, widespread and in what form are current laser weapons.

International laws for laser weapons

In 1995 the Conventional Weapons Convention in Vienna banned the use of laser weaponry on the battlefield that were "specifically designed, as their sole combat function or as one of their combat functions, to cause permanent blindness to unenhanced vision". Due to a loop hole this ban hampered but did not stop the development of laser weapons the leading developer, the US military.

Current Developments

In 2002 the U.S. Special Operations Command handed a contract to Boeing to develop an Advanced Tactical Laser (ATP) that was to be airborne and used for ultra precision strike missions. The laser itself is a closed-cycle, chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL). Based on the 1995 ban, this laser is not designed to cause blindness. It is much easier to blind a person driving a vehicle than to immobilize the vehicle itself so it remains to be seen what the actual purpose of the ATP is.

In another laser weapon development, the US Department of Defense (DOD) awarded Northrop Grumman the Joint High-Powered Solid State Laser (JHPSSL) project. The objective of this project is to produce a 100kW laser that can destroy rockets, mortars and artillery. The US airforce also added precision strike as one of the projects objectives. Northrop Grumman says the project is on schedule and they will reach the 100kW goal by the end of 2008.

Not to be outdone by the airforce, the US army has awarded Boeing a 36 million dollar contract to develop a truck mounted laser cannon known as the High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator (HELTD). Once again the purpose of this laser weapon is to shoot down rockets and artillery shells but the HELTD would also be very effective at blinding enemy combatants.

The US is far from the only country seeking to develop or use laser weapons. Earlier this year the Canadian military drew harsh criticism over a $10 million laser weapon acquisition project. Those laser weapons are portable lasers that are designed to "temporary blind" people at 50 to 500 meters. This purchase is controversial because it is seen as violating the 1995 ban. This project is presently awaiting approval from Defence Minister Peter MacKa.

On a more peaceful and positive note, Dedicated Systems in Australia has developed a Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS). This system works by using an airborne light detection and ranging blue-green lasers to detect, localize and classify mines over a large area of the ocean.

Outcome

Laser weapons are widespread and range in form from large aircraft and vehicle mounted to mobile and hand held. At present the smaller more mobile dazzling (blinding) type laser weapons are already deployed and the larger more powerful lasers should start becoming operational with in a year.

Click here for Military Grade Laser Modules.

Dragonlasers No 1 for Military Grade Laser Modules, Portable Lasers and Laser Safety Glasses.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Green Laser Pointers and Laser Guided Weapons

Portable lasers and laser pointers have many applications ranging from avian dispersal and research to laser displays and warfare. One of the more esoteric and less understood applications is guiding bombs and missiles.

The basic idea is a laser pointer will paint or illuminate a target with a laser beam and a laser detector or sensor in the bomb/missile will detect laser light reflected of the target and home on the reflected light. The sensor will detect the strongest source of laser light and steer the weapon to that source using course corrections with its control surfaces (non powered weapons such as free fall bombs) or with motor (rockets).

The advantage of laser guided weapons is that they can strike a target with extreme precision and reduce or eliminate civilian deaths and property damage (collateral damage is the phrase commonly used by the military and politicians). Laser guided weapons are smaller and contain less explosives than their non guided counterparts making them cheaper to produce and allowing aircraft and other launch platforms to carry more of them.

The key element in the use of laser guided weapons is the illumination of the target by laser light. This is normally achieved by one of two ways. A person on the ground near the target will use a laser pointer to illuminate the target or a laser mounted on the weapons platform, be it an aircraft or missile launcher will have a built in laser that will illuminate the target. A classic example of the use of laser weapons is for a reconnaissance group to infiltrate enemy territory and illuminate the target.

Laser guided weapons do have disadvantages. The weapons are only guided when they can detect the laser beam. This means if the beam is blocked by smoke poor weather or dusty conditions, the weapons can not be guided. This greatly limits the use of these weapons in desert wars such as the Iraqi wars.

A common misunderstanding is that a common green laser pointer can be used with these weapons and pity the poor fool who is using one of these lasers when a laser guided bomb is in the air. The lasers use to guide these weapons are infrared (visible lasers will give the user's position away to the enemy) lasers that used a pulsed system that is coded to the sensor on the weapon. The weapon will only home in on a laser source with a matching code. Your trusty green laser pointer will do many things such as create laser displays, carry out research and entertain your friends. It will even land you in jail if you misuse it BUT it will not bring laser guided weapons down on you.

Click here Green Laser Modules.

Dragonlasers - No 1 for Laser Modules, portable lasers and laser safety glasses.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.