The US Navy Is Planning To Equip A Laser System To A Destroyer In 2021

The US Navy has plans to equip a HELIOS laser defense system on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in 2021.

Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is a defense system currently used by the US Navy for destroying and preventing missiles and other threats before they hit a ship. However, it's possible that this system will be replaced by the High Energy Laser and Optical Optical-dazzler with Surveillance system (HELIOS). According to Defense News, Rear Admiral Ron Boxall, the Navy’s director of surface warfare said:

The US Navy tested the system in 2013. The AN/SEQ-3 system can resist small boats and small unmanned aircraft. In 2014, the Navy commissioned the system to operate on the USS Ponce, until the ship stopped operating last year.

The US Navy has signed a design contract to build a defensive defense system with Lockheed Martin worth $150 million over two years. Including two laser systems, one will be tested on the mainland at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and one is installed on a ship. Lockheed Martin is likely to complete the system next year.

HELIOS is known as a defense system used to combat threats including drones, small boats, and missiles. It's essentially a 60-kilowatt laser and can reach up to 150 kilowatts, tying directly to a power source on the ship. So there's no need to carry extra batteries or energy magazines.

Besides, HELIOS will connect to Aegis - the battle system on the ship using the radar on the ship to guide the weapon to the target accurately. Considering that, HELIOS is not only a combat weapon, but it can also support the military to provide data for Aegis. The laser is a pretty good type of sensor besides being able to bombard. Boxall also said that every time a radar approached another radar, they would get worse. But if the radar gets closer to the laser they become better.

Other parts of the military are also currently working on their own laser defense systems. Typically, the US Air Force's SHIELD system (the Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator system) has been successfully tested recently. This type of aircraft was used to knock down missiles during flight.

However, this system also has certain disadvantages. They can only attack one target at a given time. According to analysts, at the present time, even when the laser system is equipped, the Navy ship will still use a missile defense system on board.