Navy super-laser nine months ahead of schedule

Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 February 2011 10:37 Friday, 28 January 2011 22:07

The Office of Naval Research announced last week that a superlaser it is developing is nine months ahead of schedule thanks to a breakthrough made during prototype tests in December. The Free Electron Laser (FEL) program, hopes to have a working megawatt (1 million watt) laser weapon by 2019.

It is hoped the laser would be used to provide protection against missiles. Currently, naval vessels use rapid fire guns to shoot down missiles at close range. But lasers would allow them to do the same job, at long distance, and without running out of ammunition. As long as the ship could produce enough power for the laser, the laser could keep firing.

Free Electron Laser video

"The FEL is expected to provide future U.S. Naval forces with a near-instantaneous laser ship defense in any maritime environment throughout the world," Quentin Saulter, program manager for the Office of Naval Research said in a press release.

Navy illustration of the Free Electron Laser

The laser works by generating electrons and sending them through a series of magnetic fields. The end-result is a focused beam of laser light that can burn through missiles, aircraft and just about anything else flung at a ship.

The FEL program is one branch of the U.S.'s attempts to break into laser weapons. Lasers mounted on aircraft have been undergoing tests with a view to protecting the U.S. from missiles. In November, Boeing's 747 Airborne Laser failed a second test in a row and the project is now under scrutiny from Congress, keen to cut back pentagon spending.