US Army tests laser weapon. How is it more lethal than interceptor missiles? Pentagon's secret plans unraveled

The US has been working secretly on developing laser weapons and it has spent billions of dollars on this project. The Israel-Hamas War has increased its significance as Israel's Defence Force fired hundreds of missiles on the Gaza Strip in an attempt to destroy the terror outfit. The conflict has emphasized the need to defend against threats that range from small rockets to ballistic missiles. Tel Aviv has deployed the Iron Beam system, which produces a high-energy laser. It complements the Iron Dome batteries used to launch interceptors to detect and destroy incoming rockets.

Laser weapon

Explaining the laser weapon system to the CNBC, Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute said, "A laser gives you essentially an infinite magazine of interception opportunities, because the laser, as long as you’ve got electricity, will continue to recharge, continue to shoot down incoming weapons." It is way ahead of the interceptor missiles. He said, "Interceptors are just surface-to-air missiles that shoot down incoming weapons. And there’s obviously a limited number of them in the launcher at any given time, and they cost money and they’re expendable."

US Army tests laser weapons

The pace of development can be understood by the fact that the US Army tested DE M-SHORAD, or Directed Energy Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense system in 2023 at the Yuma proving grounds. The Navy has its version, the HELIOS, or High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance. It has been installed on the U.S.S. Preble, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.


Masao Dahlgren, a fellow with the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies told CNBC that various services in the U.S. military are prototyping these systems, bending metal, putting things out there and experimenting with them.

FAQs:

Why laser weapons are much better than interceptor missiles?
According to Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a laser gives essentially an infinite magazine of interception opportunities, because the laser, as long as you’ve got electricity, will continue to recharge, and continue to shoot down incoming weapons.

Has the US Army tested the laser weapons?
US Army tested DE M-SHORAD, or Directed Energy Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense system in 2023 at the Yuma proving grounds. The Navy has its own version, the HELIOS, or High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance. It has been installed on the U.S.S. Preble, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.