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Watch a Lockheed Martin Laser Destroy a Missile In Flight

Posted by timothy on from the missiles-missiles-missiles dept.

An anonymous reader writes "As well as providing the equipment necessary to fire missiles, defense contractors also want to offer customers the ability to defend against them. Lockheed Martin is doing just that with its Area Defense Anti-Munitions (ADAM) system. ADAM is a high energy laser system mounted on a trailer allowing it to be transported around quickly to help defend high-value targets. It is still in prototype form, but basically uses a 10-kilowatt fiber laser which can be focused on to a moving target up to 2 kilometers away."

3 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. Re:home version by SecurityGuy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Actually, that's been done.

    http://www.ted.com/talks/nathan_myhrvold_could_this_laser_zap_malaria.html

    Pretty cool, imo.

  2. Just a few seconds to react by sjbe · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Considering this a defensive system 2 kilometers means the high velocity threat is nearly on top of what you want to protect.

    Let's say we have a cruise missile traveling at roughly mach 1 or about 1,150 kph - actually pretty slow compared to many missiles. That means that the missile would cover the 2 kilometers in about 6.25 seconds. Better have a hell of a good target tracking system...

  3. Useless after ballistic trajectory by mrops · · Score: 3, Interesting

    2KM is kinda useless once the missile has achieved ballistic trajectory.

    At speed of 2.5km/second, the missile will whiz pass this thing quicker than any damage can be done to it.

    Note both the videos show the missile at launch, when they are not at top speed, may work for Hamas to Israel scenario, won't work for North Korea to South Korea type of scenario.