We did talk about how the U.S. Navy has every intention to deploy a railgun on their ships by the time 2016 arrives, but railguns are not the only weapons of choice for their fleet. It seems that Navy engineers happen to be making final adjustments to a laser weapon prototype which will deploy aboard the USS Ponce later this summer, being a first of its kind to boot. This prototype happens to be an improved version of the Laser Weapon System (LaWS), where it will undergo at-sea testing in the Persian Gulf.
Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder shared, “This is a revolutionary capability. It’s absolutely critical that we get this out to sea with our sailors for these trials, because this very affordable technology is going to change the way we fight and save lives.”
Navy leaders have done their bit to make sure that directed-energy weapons remain a top priority when it comes to countering asymmetric threats, where among them include unmanned and light aircraft as well as small attack boats which could prove to be an obstacle when it comes to denying U.S. forces access to selected areas. High-energy lasers happen to be the ideal weapon that counter such threats at the speed of light without sacrificing on accuracy and limited ammunition count. [Press Release]