Applications and performance of high power lasers and in the battlefield

doi:10.1016/j.optmat.2011.04.005

Optical Materials

Volume 34, Issue 2, December 2011, Pages 457-460

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2011.04.005 Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper reviews the status and applications of a defensive weapon based on high power lasers, in the battlefield. Laser weapon is a novel concept which utilizes high power laser beam to traverse the distance into incoming objects at a speed of light, and then, destroy or disable it. Various types of lasers and configurations will be discussed in this review including gas lasers, solid state lasers, fiber lasers and the free-electron laser. We will discuss various configurations such as airborne laser (ABL), diode pumped crystals and disk lasers as well as heat-capacity lasers. Recent applications of ultrafast solid state lasers for non-lethal or low collateral damage applications will be presented.

Highlights

► Several types of high power lasers have potential as a weapon. ► Chemical lasers (MW-class) can be used against incoming missiles. ► Solid state laser amplifiers have potential as mobile lasers. ► Fiber lasers are novel candidates and players in the battlefield. ► Ultrafast lasers can serve as a non-lethal weapon.

Introduction

Laser weapon is currently considered as tactical as well as strategic beam weapons, and is considered as a part of a general layered defense system against ballistic missiles and short-range rockets. This paper is an extended and updated version of the two recent papers presented and published recently [1], [2]. The laser weapon is a kind of weapon that can disable or destroy military targets or incoming objects, by approaching the target at a speed of light, and this is attractive against short-rage rockets and mortars. Laser weapon, unlike kinetic is effective in principle, at long or short distances, owing to beam’s unique characteristics such as narrow bandwidth, high brightness, coherent both in time and space. The laser beam, aimed on a small area spot at the rocket’s skin is converted into a large amount of heat, following by a temperature increase and finally-catastrophic failure by material ablation or melt.

The usefulness of laser light as a weapon has been studied for decades but only in recent years became feasible owing to advances in solid state laser materials and thermal management technologies. There are two types of lasers based on the active lasing media that are being used: gas lasers and solid state lasers, including fiber lasers. All these types of lasers will be discussed below.

Section snippets

Gas lasers

There are two types of gas lasers.

Solid state lasers

Solid state lasers (SSL) are presently considered as a future tactical anti-missile, anti-rocket, and anti-mortar laser weapon. Tactical laser weapon based on SSL are used for ultra-precision missions with reduced collateral damage, suitable as a tactical directed energy weapon both in the battlefield and in urban environment. They are based on solids (crystals such as YAG, or crystalline YAG-ceramics) doped with rare earth ions such as Nd³⁺ or Yb³⁺ and diode-pumped at 808 nm or 940/970 nm,

Other lasers

It is worth only mentioning other laser candidates under currently development for military applications. One candidate is the Free Electron Laser (FEL) for the Navy, currently being developed under contract from the Office of Naval Research by Boeing and Raytheon. The FEL is an all electric tunable source over a large bandwidth. The Navy proposal is aimed at the development of a tunable 100-kW source and further to MW-class laser, that can intercept incoming missiles in a range of 2 km.

Conclusions

Lasers are going to revolutionize the battlefield by providing ultrafast and ultra-precision capabilities, with reduced collateral damage. They are divided into two types: gas lasers (chemical lasers) and solid state lasers (SSL). Lasers are considered both strategic weapon and tactical weapon, according to the laser type. Solid state lasers are compact, deployable systems with reduced logistics that can be used as a tactical weapon on the ground, on bombers or on strike fighters, mainly

Acknowledgment

I would like to thank Dr. Boaz Lissak and Dr. Oded Amichai for their useful comments.

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