The US Navy successfully test-fired a new laser weapon onboard the USS Portland. This was during the first week May. The ship fired a laser on a floating, unmanned aerial vehicle during the test off Hawaii. It was the Navy's first deployment of a laser weapon on a navy ship. Northrop Grumman developed it and intended to be used against small craft and unmanned aerial vehicles. The laser is expected more powerful than that tested by the Navy on USS Ponce (AFSBI-15) seven years back.
The laser system in Portland is expected be 150 kilowatts. That's five times more power than the 30-kilowatt one that was tested on USS Ponce. This is part in the Navy's efforts upgrade the laser weapon system on ships. The laser is expected be able destroy or disable unmanned aerial vehicle, artillery, mortars and rockets. The laser's range on Portland has not been determined by the US Navy.
USS Portland (San Antonio-class amphibious dock ship) is part of the San Antonio class. She is part of the USS Essex Amphibious Ready Group. She is expected to deploy to U.S. 4th Fleet. During these exercises, Portland will be the flagship of the multinational military exercises. The ship will be joined by three other ships: USS Little Rock (an amphibious assault vessel); USS Pearl Harbor (an amphibious dock landing boat); and USS Essex (an amphibious assault vessel). All three ships will carry 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
Portland is the expected first ship in America to deploy an operational Laser Weapon System. This is a major step towards improving the United States' defenses against small boats, unmanned aircraft vehicles, and artillery. It will also be a reminder to allies of the United States’ naval superiority.
US Navy officials say the new laser weapon will be able to protect ships from small boats, mortars, rockets, and other inexpensive weapons. It will also be used to counter Houthi rebels across the Red Sea. For many years, the Navy worked on directed energy weapons. The Navy actually regularly tests new technology on the Arabian Peninsula. It has also demonstrated robots on the Persian Gulf and in the Gulf of Aden.
Northrop Grumman won the contract to develop and test the laser weapon system in 2015. The company is also a member of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group. The company is currently working on a Solid State Laser - Technology Maturation Laser Weapon System Demonstrator. To produce a stronger beam the SSLTM employs multiple lasers of different wavelengths. SSL-TM has been successfully tested on land. The demonstration is expected to be the first step in the development of a 150 kilowatt laser weapon.
The Navy has also tested its laser system on USS Ponce. It is an interim afloat forward-staging station in the Middle East. In October 2000, the ship was attacked by a suicide bomber in a small boat. The attack left two dead and injured others. Two people were killed and 37 others were injured in the attack.