Laser Weapons Are the Reality of the 2020s - And This American Stealth Ship is Getting One
Military Watch Magazine Editorial Staff
U.S. Navy Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ship
The U.S. Navy has announced plans to integrate a 150 kilowatt laser weapon onto one of his Littoral Combat Ships, the Freedom Class warship USS Little Rock, by the end of the year 2020. Laser weapons are increasingly being tested for a number of roles, most notably for missile defence in response to growing threats from drones and anti ship missiles, but also for offensive roles. The Freedom Class is so far the lightest American warship to have been outfitted with a laser weapon, and the only one with a next generation stealth design. Different types of laser weapon have previously been integrated onto an Arleigh Burke Class destroyer - the USS Dewey, and a San Antonio Class landing ship - the USS Portland. Testing of laser weapons from both of these heavier platforms began in 2019.
The class of laser weapon chosen for integration onto the Freedom Class ship remains uncertain, but it has been confirmed that the weapon was developed by Lockheed Martin - America’s largest defence manufacturer. Lockheed Martin's High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance system (HELIOS) is considered a likely candidate, and while it was previously developed as a 60 kilowatt system work has since been done to increase its power. HELIOS is one of two confirmed laser systems developed for the Navy which have yet to be tested on a surface warship - the other being the Ruggedized High Energy Laser (RHEL) which there are no plans at present to test at sea. The race among major powers to develop more advanced laser weapons comes in parallel to races for primacy in the field of hypersonic weapons, electromagnetic railguns, electronic warfare and other fields which are expected to be pivotal in future naval encounters. More powerful serially produced lasers are expected to be integrated onto the Navy's Arleigh Burke Class destroyers, and later onto next generation warships such as the Zumwalt Class, for combat use by the end of the decade.
