WW3 Watch: U.S. Army to boost power of laser weapons

The U.S. Army is set to dramatically boost the power of its laser systems, from the 5-10 kilowatt range to something more along the lines of 50-100 kWs, or a 10-fold increase.

• The added power may make those systems lethal enough to kill helicopters and low-flying planes, and may also blind cruise missiles.

• The Army plans to test-fire a 50 kW weapon next year; a 100 kW weapon is expected to be ready for testing in 2020.

• The goal is to develop technology that reduces the size and power requirements for such systems while bolstering destructive power.

(Analyst Comment : A workable laser anti-missile system that can effectively target multiple warheads and even hypersonic missile systems — still many years off — may one day make ICBMs carrying nuclear weapons obsolete.)