DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Photo Release -- U.S. Navy, Northrop Grumman Accomplish Goals For At-Sea Demonstration Of Maritime Laser....NSI News Source Info # 1793
**High-Energy, Solid-State Laser Shows Lethality Against Small Boat Threats
(NSI News Source Info)
NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY POINT MUGU, Calif., - April 9, 2011: The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) have successfully demonstrated high-energy, solid-state laser defenses at sea by completing a "counter-material" test of the Maritime Laser Demonstrator (MLD) against small boats.
Northrop Grumman designed and built the MLD for the Office of Naval Research, leveraging a laser built by Northrop Grumman for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command /Army Forces Strategic Command and the High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office.
Open ocean tests were conducted between October 2010 and April 2011 at the Pacific Ocean Test Range near San Nicolas Island off the Central California coast. For these tests, the laser system was installed on the Navy's Self Defense Test Ship, the USS Paul Foster.
While underway, the MLD system initially tracked and lased land targets. The solid-state, directed energy system then tracked and damaged moving, remotely piloted, unmanned small boats traveling at representative speeds and ranges, company executives said.
"The results show that all critical technologies for an operational laser weapon system are mature enough to begin a formal weapon system development program," said Steve Hixson, vice president, space and directed energy systems at Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "Solid-state laser weapons are ready to transition to the fleet."
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