Security

Why Lasers Won't Work

Electric lasers, poised to reach battlefield strength. Trucks outfitted with ray guns. Blaster-equipped planes, getting ready to zap opponent’s missiles — and, maybe even enemies themselves. In the past year, Military lasers have made huge strides. Which leads sci-fi author Ben Bova to proclaim that "the ray gun is here, today — almost." Or maybe […]

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Electric lasers, poised to reach battlefield strength. Trucks outfitted with ray guns. Blaster-equipped planes, getting ready to zap opponent's missiles -- and, maybe even enemies themselves. In the past year, Military lasers have made huge strides. Which leads sci-fi author Ben Bova to proclaim that "the ray gun is here, today — almost."

Or maybe not.

"Lasers in general have a problem," Federation of Amer­ican Scientists' Ivan Oelrich tells Defense News.
"It’s called 'fundamental physics.' Defenses against lasers may be simple and cheap as reflective paint. Lasers may also be rendered ineffective at low alti­tudes by atmospheric distortion, dust, fog, clouds and rain."

Firing a laser mounted on a tank-size ve­hicle, U.S. Army scientists shot down two target aircraft. Delighted defense officials predicted that in just a few years, the ex­perimental laser would be turned into an operational battlefield weapon.

That was 1976.

In the 32
years since then, Army lasers have also shot down mortars, missiles and artillery shells under test-range conditions. But a practical battlefield laser is still years off.

The Airborne Laser -- a 747, modified to zap incoming missiles -- is finally supposed to have its first flight test next year. Originally, it was supposed to happen in 2003. Philip Coyle, a former assistant secretary of defense and director of operational test and evaluation, says he doesn't "expect to live long enough to see [it] deployed.”

*To shoot down enemy missiles, an ABL [Airborne Laser]
must be within a few hun­dred miles of their launch site. "You have only a few minutes af­ter launch” to shoot the missile down, “so you have to be on sta­tion 24/7," Coyle said. *

Continuous presence would take five to seven airborne lasers [plus] refueling tankers, fighter escorts and control of the airspace. "It’s very expensive," said Coyle. Each plane is expected to cost be­tween $1 billion and $1.5 billion, according to the Air Force.

The ABL's maker, Boeing, is also working on a blaster-equipped gunship, the Advanced Tactical Laser. It's supposed to melt gear (and maybe people) like a "long-range blowtorch."

Coyle doubts that the ATL
would be effective against tar­gets such as armored vehicles. Compared with an AC-130 gunship that fires Gatling guns, cannons and howitzers, the ATL is "a pea shooter," he tells Defense News.

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