US Navy deploys first laser weapon

New York Times : A prototype laser weapon system will be deployed for the first time on a US Navy ship. The laser, which is designed to target unmanned aircraft and fast attack boats, is planned to go operational next year on a ship that will be stationed in the Persian Gulf in response to rising tensions with Iran. The navy recently released video of successful tests of the system against aerial drones. The system burns through the drones and destroys them, and it can similarly target other ships, especially the fast attack craft that make up one portion of Iran’s navy. It is also capable of “nonlethal” attacks in which it uses the laser to overwhelm and disable sensor systems. The still experimental weapon is limited by weather and line of sight, but it has a low cost for useâmdash;$1 per sustained energy pulse versus $1.4 million for a short-range interceptor missileâmdash;and unlimited ammunition as long as the ship can produce electricity. The navy hopes that future versions of the weapon will be capable of targeting jet aircraft and missiles, both of which travel at significantly faster speeds than drones or other ships.