The US Department of Defense's Advanced Defense Research Programs or DARPA, announced that the testing of a new laser beam gun has been successfully completed.
The new weapon system will be tested further this summer in real-world conditions in New Mexico. The objectives of his tests will be ground or aerial (rockets, artillery missiles, vehicles, etc.).
The HELLADS program from the original High-Energy Liquid Laser Area System, was developed by company General Atomics, in collaboration with DARPA.
Unlike other directed energy weapons, HELLADS units can be powered by batteries lithium ion, which makes it possible to install them in vehicles and aircraft.
The goal of the HELLADS project was to creation of a 150 kilowatt laser, which would weigh less than 750 kg, and its size would be smaller from 3 cubic meters.
In mid-April, the contractor DARPA, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), presented the HEL 3 generation laser. It exactly meets these size specifications and is equipped with a generator that allows the production of 75 with 300 kilowatts.
The developers believe it can be fitted to GA-ASI's new Avenger drone. The jet engine of the drone is enough to generate enough energy that it will charges the laser battery during flight. So it will essentially be a gun without ammo as RT reports.
DARPA's ultimate goal is to incorporate the new weapon system into ships, land vehicles, small or larger aircraft,
According to DARPA, the new weapon system is ten times smaller and lighter than today's lasers of the same power.
