The U.S. Tests New Deadly Laser Weapon

U.S Arms maker lockheed martin is developing a laser that could be small enough to arm a future sixth generation fighter plane, company officials told reporters on may 1 2019. But it's not clear when the pentagon might develop a new fighter. The laser could be ready before the plane is reporter Ben Werner from USNI News attended Lockheed's media briefing.

The high energy laser and integrated optical dazzler and surveillance system is at the core of Lockheed Martin's electronic warfare work. The company expects to field a ship based helio system aboard an arleigh burke-class guided missile destroyer in 2021. However technological advances are helping the company shrink the size of helios from what is due for installation aboard a ship to what can possibly fit onto an airframe.

Said Tony Wilson a Lockheed Martin F-35 test pilot "being a tactical pilot in today's age is really exciting, during my time, i've seen the leap from 4th generation to 5th generation with the integration of stealth and sensor fusion wilson said. what i'm really looking forward to is the next generation leap that's a 6th gen fighter, where we not only take stealth and sensor integration but we start adding things like directed energy weapons drone swarm control."

A laser has obvious advantages, it could be more accurate than a gun is, a fighter could fire many more laser shots than it could carry missiles, potentially boosting the plane's magazine depth. But it could be a long while before a new laser-armed fighter takes flight.

The air force in theory is developing a new air superiority system, but the new system might not take the form of a sixth generation fighter.

The navy likewise is exploring technologies that could contribute to future air combat missions but the fleet hasn't committed to developing a new fighter. In terms of technologies the navy is considering trades to balance capability, affordability and survivability across a family of systems and not limiting the analysis to a single aircraft to meet future threats.

Navy Lieutenant Cauren chatmus told Defense News, "some important areas of consideration include derivative and developmental air vehicle designs, advanced engines, propulsion, weapons, mission systems, electronic warfare systems and numerous other emerging technologies and concepts. the services reluctance to commit potentially billions of dollars to new fighter develop makes sense."

In 2019 the us armed forces are struggling to afford the roughly 2.300 new fifth generation F-35s they want to buy while also maintaining hundreds of older fourth generation fighters.

In 2016 the u.s air force unveiled its air superiority 2030 study which posited that although the service would need a new air superiority fighter jet called penetrating counter air as soon as the 2030s. It would be just as important that the new plane fit into a family of systems of space, cyber, electronic warfare and other enabling technologies. The service then initiated an analysis of alternatives in 2017 to further drill down on penetrating counter-air concepts and to refine its requirements, but the services top uniformed officer sounds interested in a disaggregated mission approach.

The air force moreover in its 2020 budget request has proposed to scale back F-35 production in favor of acquiring upgraded 4th generation F-15 exes. In that sense the flying branch actually is moving away from a 6th generation fighter.

Lockheed could succeed in shrinking down its helios laser in order to fit a future fighter plane before any new plane is ready to carry it. Alternatively the company could offer the laser as an upgrade for existing fighters, but directed energy weapons require more electrical power than today's fighters easily can generate.