Solid-state lasers have reached the 100 kW class, and demonstrated that they can shoot down militarily important targets. The next challenge is to harden laser systems enough to withstand the rigors of operating in warplanes, on battleships, and on the battlefield. The best sign the Pentagon is serious about putting high-energy laser weapons on the battlefield is its program to ruggedize them. Development of industrial lasers has been a step in the right direction. Factories run high-energy welding lasers 24/7 for long periods and expect their lasers to operate continuously for 20,000 hours. "Our type of reliability is totally different," says Sean Ross, team lead for laser system integration technologies at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL; Kirtland AFB, NM). "If we get a system out there and it fires 100 hours total, that's fine. But it has to be always ready to fire." Soldiers' lives are at stake, not corporate balance sheets.
展开▼
