Laser Weapons Systems

The Laser Weapons System (LaWS) is a directed-energy weapon that is capable of locking onto and terminating aircraft without firing bullets or ballistics. It uses a series of laser beams to lock onto the craft, disable any cameras or recording devices, then cause a tremendous amount of concentrated heat to burn the target out of the sky. While it is ineffective in poor weather conditions and is currently unable to take down rapid missiles and fighter jets, it is extremely effective against small aircraft and boats.

The blue beam tracks the location of the target, while the red beam disables any cameras or monitoring equipment mounted below. This would make it highly effective against drone technologies.

The heat generated by the main laser beam causes the visionless plane to combust.

There are a range of benefits to utilizing the LaWS system over surface to air missiles. LaWS is limited by its energy capacity, rather than the amount of ammunition supplied on a ship. Utilizing LaWS means that a ship would need to carry less ammunition, both freeing up space on board as well as lowering the amount of weight (and thus energy needed for transportation) aboard the vessel. While laser technologies are still in prototype phases, they promise to significantly cut costs on ammunition and will be utilized by the Navy in the near future. Rear Admiral and Chief of Naval Research Matthew Klunder says that, although the technology cost the government $40 million to develop, it costs "less than one US dollar" to fire a LaWS blast, as opposed to thousands and "sometimes millions" spent per smart bomb or missile. The first system will be installed and utilized to disable patrol boats and spy planes in the Persian Gulf in 2014.

Maybe one of the most effective uses of this technology is in counter-intelligence and the ability to disable cameras and vehicles without injuring passengers. As opposed to the heavily destructive impact of missiles, LaWS can be adjusted to blind and disable cameras, engines, and more without harming the vehicle's operators. This is a major advancement for naval non-lethal weapons technology, and hopefully it will cut down on war casualties.