The US Air Force received the first Laser Advancements for Next-generation Compact Environments (LANCE) airborne laser weapon, manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
The US Air Force has received its first laser weapon for fighter jets, a military technology that can destroy the electronics of an attacking missile, while also pointing to the prospect of developing offensive air-to-ground capabilities.
The US Air Force received it back in February, The Warzone portal reveals .
LANCE, according to Lockheed Martin, has significantly reduced dimensions.
It is now one-sixth the size of earlier laser weapons the company made for the US military. In addition, LANCE also has lesser power requirements, which allows it to be placed inside the fuselage of a fighter aircraft.
Although the LANCE’s maximum power has not been revealed, The Warzone assumes it is less than 100 kilowatts.
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If LANCE proves successful in its defensive purposes, it could also be developed into a variety of offensive laser weapons, such as those that can engage drones and aircraft at longer ranges, compared to targeting high-speed anti-aircraft missiles from the ground or air.
According to Lockheed Martin, LANCE has significantly reduced dimensions, i.e. it is now one-sixth the size of the earlier laser weapon that the company made for the US military. In addition, LANCE also has lesser power requirements, which allows it to be placed inside the fuselage of a fighter aircraft.
The speed of light
The National Interest notes that fighter jet laser weapons will be far faster than air-to-air missiles because they travel at the speed of light, allowing for much faster attacks. Laser weapons could be programmed to destroy or just disable and completely disable an enemy aircraft. Laser weapons are also capable of performing various forms of optical surveillance.
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The Asia Times writes that the LANCE’s estimated power may mean it will be used as a defensive weapon to disable air-to-air missiles by damaging their sensitive seeker heads.
LANCE effective against Air-to-Air Missiles
The LANCE may be effective against approaching air-to-air missiles, but may not be suitable for missile defense, especially in light of the growing threat posed by Chinese and Russian hypersonic weapons , Asia Times reports.
In addition, the laser weapon must be able to deliver continuous fire until the target is successfully destroyed.
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Although the type of aircraft that can be deployed LANCE is not yet known, conceptually Lockheed Martin has shown the weapon installed on an F-16 fighter jet, Tech Time writes .
