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The concept of using high-energy and directed lasers for naval military applications is
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gathering pace among the world's superpowers. If successfully developed and deployed, laser
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weapon systems might be rewarded as game-changers for defending Navy surface ships, again enemy
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missiles and UAVs. What naval laser weapon systems are currently in development or operational ready? And what are the benefits or disadvantages of
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these brand new technologies? These are the questions to be answered in the remainder
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of this video series. Lockheed Martin reported it is pushing ahead with its effort to deliver two high-energy laser and integrated optical dazzler with
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surveillance systems to the US Navy in 2020. Helios will provide an additional layer of
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protection for the Fleet Deep Magazine, low cost per kill, speed of flight delivery and
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precision response. Additional Helios systems will accelerate the warfighting learning curve, provide risk reduction for future laser weapon system increments and provide a stronger demand
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signal to the supply base. Next on the list of top Navy laser weapon
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systems is Russia's 5P-42 Filin system, developed by state-owned company Ruselectronics. The
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capability claims of the 5P-42 Filin are both remarkable and terrifying. The system is designed
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to disrupt enemies' combatant's eyesight at night and preventing them from targeting a
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protected platform. Besides that, it is also capable to suppress night vision devices
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laser rangefinders, anti-tank missile and other electro-optical sight systems. It was first
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unveiled in December 2018 and its naval version is currently being deployed at the Admiral Gorshov
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class frigates. The following one is the Kratos AN-SEQ-3. The AN-SEQ-3 laser weapon system built
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by Kratos and developed by the US Naval Research Lab is a directed energy weapon. The weapon was
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installed on USS Ponce for field testing in 2014. Initial testing of the LAWS laser weapon system
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which cost around 40 million dollars to develop, saw the system successfully destroy two small
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metal targets on floating platforms as well as a target drone. The infrared beam from a
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solid-state laser array can be tuned from high output to low output. At high output
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the laser can destroy targets, fry sensors, burn out motors and detonate explosive material. At low
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output, the laser weapon system can dazzle enemy combatants and cause them to turn away from
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threatening positions. Furthermore, the LAWS can shoot down small UAVs in two seconds and can
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destroy motors on small boats, thus disabling them and mitigating the threat. A significant
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advantage of the laser over projectiles is the low cost per shot. MBDA's Dragonfire is UK-built
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laser directed energy weapon currently being developed by the Defence Science and Technology
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Laboratory on behalf of the Ministry of Defence under a 30 million dollar contract award. UK
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Dragonfire is a grouping of the best of British industry brought together to develop this advanced
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and complex new program for the UK Armed Forces. Benefits of the Dragonfire laser weapon include
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affordability, precision and adaptability to existing technology such as Leonardo's Beam Director. This technology brings together Kinetic's powerful laser emitter as well as
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world-class electro-optics for target identification and tracking. MBDA is bringing prime weapon system
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delivery, experience and advanced weapon system command and control and image processing capability
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to UK Dragonfire in addition to coordinating the overall effort. Well, keep in mind that
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