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Wheels:
Laser weapon system stops truck in field test -- from a mile away

Talk about a long shot.

Lockheed Martin's 30-kW fiber laser weapon system successfully disabled the engine of a small truck during a recent field test, demonstrating the rapidly evolving precision capability to protect military forces and critical infrastructure.

Known as ATHENA, for Advanced Test High Energy Asset, the ground-based prototype system burned through the engine manifold in a matter of seconds from more than a mile away. The truck was mounted on a test platform with its engine and drive train running to simulate an operationally relevant test scenario.

The Lockheed Martin ATHENA laser weapon system defeats a truck target by disabling the engine -- from a mile away. [Photo: Lockheed Martin]

 

 

"Fiber-optic lasers are revolutionizing directed energy systems," says Keoki Jackson, Lockheed Martin chief technology officer. "We are investing in every component of the system -- from the optics and beam control to the laser itself -- to drive size, weight, and power efficiencies. This test represents the next step to providing lightweight and rugged laser weapon systems for military aircraft, helicopters, ships, and trucks."

The demonstration marked the first field testing of an integrated 30-kW, single-mode fiber laser weapon system prototype. Through a technique called spectral beam combining, multiple fiber laser modules form a single, powerful, high-quality beam that provides greater efficiency and lethality than multiple individual 10-kW lasers used in other systems.

ATHENA is based on the Area Defense Anti-Munitions (ADAM) laser weapon system developed by Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale, CA, which has been proven in demonstrations against small airborne and sea-based targets. It incorporates a 30-kW Accelerated Laser Demonstration Initiative (ALADIN) fiber laser developed by the company in Bothell, WA.

The Lockheed Martin Area Defense Anti-munitions (ADAM) 10-kW laser system can be integrated in a container that is mounted on a trailer, making it readily transportable. [Photo: Lockheed Martin]

 

 

Lockheed Martin announced in May 2014 that a ship-deployed ADAM high-energy 10-kW fiber laser took less than 30 seconds to burn through multiple compartments of the rubber hull of military-grade small boats operating in the ocean. Lockheed Martin previously demonstrated the system's capabilities in countering representative airborne targets in flight, including small-caliber rocket targets and an unmanned aerial system target. The 10-kW system can precisely track moving targets at a range of more than 5 km (3.1 miles) and engage targets up to 2 km (1.2 miles) away.

Source: Lockheed Martin

Published March 2015

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