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Watch a Lockheed Martin Laser Destroy a Missile In Flight
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."
But can it be mounted on a shark?
Considering this a defensive system 2 kilometers means the high velocity threat is nearly on top of what you want to protect. It's 'destruction' is still likely to rain down debris nearby.
How long before we start seeing missiles with highly polished chrome finish on the outside?
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>> As well as providing the equipment necessary to fire missiles, defense contractors also want to offer customers the ability to defend against them.
Naturally. How else would you extract top dollar from both sides?
Bet it costs a fortune, though.
Just ask some loan sharks with lasers...
Ezekiel 23:20
Actually, that's been done.
http://www.ted.com/talks/nathan_myhrvold_could_this_laser_zap_malaria.html
Pretty cool, imo.
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...
It's not so bad when you put it into context.
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You watched the wrong (bottom) video then - that was last year's test. This year the missile was in free flight. However, the site provided both videos on the same page.
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Sharks have built-in GPS. You just need to purchase it's use "in-app".
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It just takes slightly longer to destroy them. The best reflective surfaces are easily fouled by handling. Ever see what happens when you accidentally touch a headlamp (or projector) bulb with your finger while installing it? It still looks perfectly transparent, but *boom* it doesn't last long under even a 50W heat load. Now take your awesome mirror finish and send it through tens or hundreds of miles of atmospheric dust/bugs/ impurities. All of a sudden your ideal mirror becomes just good. Then we hit it with a laser and the energy that does get absorbed chars whatever is on there, which makes it even less reflective, and just like that your perfect mirror becomes just another ho-hum surface we can cook popcorn inside of.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
The rockets were painted black. What happens when a rocket is not painted black?
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That *might* be true. Remember that Mach 10 is not the likely speed of the craft at full atmospheric density, and at high speeds the integrity of the heat sheilding is very critical to performance. For an incoming missile, the long range slew rate on the laser will be very low (i.e. easy to acquire and track), and actual penetration of the airframe won't be necessary if the skin is at or near it's thermal limits on final approach to the target.
So, yes, 1.5km will be covered very, very quickly by a hypersonic vehicle on final targeting (likely around 2 seconds, M=2.5, at 1 atm), but it won't take much more before this system will be capable of destroying one as long as it can track it and apply power as soon as it enters the effective zone.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
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.
As a practical test to prove the potential I'd say it was a pretty good success. Imagine if you will mounting several of these things inside a 747 with some being able to shoot the laser out the bottom, the sides, and even the top of the jet. You'd have a mobile platform that can get reasonably close to the launch site and destroy missiles before they got close. From the looks of the size of the trailer I'd say you could easily fit 4 to 6 of these inside a jumbo jet or retrofitted B1 bomber and still have plenty of space for crew that may work on the things. Put them on a stealth bomber and you could easily destroy those missiles on the launch pad.