The largest contractor of the Pentagon, the American military-industrial corporation Lockheed Martin, supplied the US Department of Defense with a 300-kilowatt combat laser. The installation is supposed to be used in the interests of the United States Army. The company informs about this in a press release published on its website.
It is noted that the demonstrator of the most powerful laser installation available to Lockheed Martin was created as part of the High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative (HELSI) program. The laser will be used by the United States Army to develop appropriate tactics and technologies to counter air threats.
"Lockheed Martin has increased the power and efficiency, as well as reduced the weight and dimensions of high—energy continuous lasers, which reduces the risk of future field testing of high-power laser weapon systems," said Rick Cordaro, vice president of Lockheed Martin Advanced Product Solutions.
The Breaking Defense publication reminds that a joint team of Boeing and General Atomics is working on a similar 300-kilowatt laser project.
In August, The Drive edition, citing Lockheed Martin Corporation, reported that the US Navy's Arleigh Burke-type Preble destroyer received a 60-kilowatt High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance system (HELIOS), designed to monitor and blind the enemy.
