The Air Force is getting closer and closer to the target of using laser weapons to equip fighters. Testers at the Baisha Missile Range have successfully shot down multiple air-launched missiles using the "self-protection high-energy laser pointer demonstrator. Although it is currently a behemoth on the ground, the final product technology should be portable." Yes, it can be installed on the aircraft to protect it from attack.
For the time being, the technology will not be used in the air. The Air Force only signed a contract with Lockheed Martin in 2017 and will not start the first air test until sometime in 2021. It may take some time before the system is put into use.
If the technology operates as envisaged, it could have a huge impact on combat aircraft. Lasers are not an offensive weapon, at least not for now. Instead, it will be used to shoot down missiles (air-to-air and surface-to-air). As long as nothing interferes with the laser, the aircraft will hardly be threatened by missile attacks, but the weather may potentially affect its effectiveness.
The Air Force Research Laboratory will equip the military with a new laser weapon system. The Air Force Research Laboratory has established the Air Force’s first high-energy laser pointer weapon system overseas for a 12-month field evaluation. The Office of Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation of the Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio is leading the project.
Dr. Michael Kyrgyz, director of basic defense experiments in the Office of Strategic Development Planning and Experiments, said: During the field assessment, the commander receiving combatants will use the system as a combat asset against small UAV systems. In the 12-month field evaluation, the Air Force will evaluate five systems. The field assessment began when General Stephen Wilson, then Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force, asked the Air Force to test the directional energy system in an effort to transform the game-changing capabilities into fighters. The Air Force will evaluate the Raytheon high-energy green laser pointer weapon system, the Raytheon high-power microwave and the AFRL tactical high-power combat responder drone killer.
Director of Directed Energy Dr. Te said: "Thor is a game changer in directed energy. Drones are becoming more and more common and can be used as weapons to cause damage to our military bases at long distances. We built The Raytheon weapon system is used to stop these types of threats. With its anti-electronic technology, Raytheon can shoot down swarms of drones in rapid firepower. This capability will be a great asset for our fighters and national defense. "