You all must be very familiar with Laser weapons and must have seen some in sci-fi movies. But this is reality that we are talking about.
Two main companies that are going for the challenge are Raytheon and Northrop Grumman.
Raytheon has stated that their latest creation is a prototype solid state Laser Area Defense System (LADS) with which they have successfully detonated 60 mm mortars. On the other hand the second in the business that is Northrop is opening up a new directed energy production facility for building high energy solid state lasers.
The most important announcement is from the Raytheon group who has claimed that their lasers are capable of detonating mortars. But still they have not yet reached the 100 kilowatt threshold which they say is the minimum requirement for the weapons grade lasers.
The company has used been able to detonate only 60-mm mortars and they have not commented how long they were zapped. As even a weak laser can bore a hole in a metal if it is focused for enough time and moreover the mortars were on the ground and not flying in the air.
However, Northrop has also opened a new facility for producing what the company claims to be the first 100 KW laser. They have also stated that the first product will be made available by the end of next year.
Via: engadget
