[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Laser Weapon Introduced by the US Air Force

Delivery of Laser Weapons Compatible with Raytheon Vehicles
U.S. Army Developing for Stryker Armored Vehicle Mount

The U.S. Air Force is increasing and deploying high-energy laser (HEL) weapon systems in active service.

On the 17th, U.S. defense contractor Raytheon announced that it has completed delivery of a 10-kilowatt (kW) class laser weapon, also known as the ‘H4’, to the U.S. Air Force.

This laser weapon is the fourth operationally deployed weapon delivered to the U.S. Air Force. Since 2019, the Air Force has been operating Raytheon’s first high-energy laser weapon system (HELWS) in active service, accumulating over 25,000 hours of operation.

The ‘H4’ was developed as a palletized system that can be mounted on vehicles. Recently, Raytheon, in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, completed HEL performance testing and evaluation at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico.

Raytheon also showcased the HEL at ‘AUSA 2022’, the world’s largest land forces defense industry exhibition held last year in Washington, D.C. At the demonstration booth, a drone destroyed by an actual laser attack was displayed. Raytheon emphasizes that deploying HEL requires advanced radar, electro-optical (EO), infrared (IR), and signals intelligence (SIGINT) sensors, highlighting that it is an integrable weapon system.

Raytheon is also developing HEL for the U.S. Army. The Army plans to mount it on Stryker armored vehicles for short-range laser air defense. Raytheon signed a contract worth $123.9 million with the U.S. Army in November 2021. Four 50kW-class lasers will be installed on Stryker vehicles to carry out operational missions. Industry insiders expect the U.S. Army to request additional laser air defense systems in the next fiscal year. Not only the U.S., but the British Army also signed a contract with Raytheon in 2021 to equip HEL weapon systems on the British Wolfhound armored vehicles.

Originally, during the height of the Cold War with the former Soviet Union in the 1980s, the U.S. military planned the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) using lasers. However, the SDI was also discontinued. Since then, together with domestic defense contractors, the U.S. has pursued the development of various laser weapons such as ADAM, ATHENA, SHIELD, ODIN, and HELIOS.

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