High-energy laser counter-drone system delivered to USAF
The 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, says the company, the system engages the threat, neutralizing the UAS in a matter of seconds.
“Five years ago, few people worried about the drone threat,” says Roy Azevedo, president of Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. “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.”
The high-energy laser weapon system was installed on a small all-terrain vehicle. On a single charge from a standard 220-volt outlet, says the company, the system 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.
The company’s Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS) sensor products integrate electro-optical/infrared, laser designation, and laser illumination capabilities in a single sensor package to provide detailed intelligence data from the visual and infrared spectrum in support of U.S. military, civilian, and allied missions around the world. Earlier this year the company demonstrated the use of microwave systems and high-energy lasers to bring down dozens of small drones both flying alone and in swarms.
The company’s latest high-energy laser 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.
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