Laser weapons, the U.S. Navy Breakthrough 2020

U.S. Navy free electron laser is expected mid-2020, made ​​significant progress, able to penetrate within a second of about 609 meters of steel.

The United States in recent years has been committed to directed energy weapons research, mainly due to a ship with weapons-grade laser systems needed for space and capacity, for the powerful laser is an ideal platform. The first set of lasers (to be deployed in the next 10 years) may be the traditional solid-state lasers, can transmit a continuous beam, a bit like a laser pointer. The problem is that they are solid-state laser wavelength is fixed, but depends on the weather, distance and weaken in intensity. So in 2020, you can choose a free electron laser, it can output a variety of wavelengths of energy, and does not require heavy weight of large solid infrastructure.

Free electron laser is basically a fast moving electron can be converted into photon particle accelerator. February 2011, the Navy's free electron laser has produced 200 kW prototype of the beam, which can penetrate a second plate of about 6 meters. The Navy's ultimate goal is to reach MW class free electron laser, and in one second through 609 meters of steel.

Currently, about free-electron lasers as big as a football field, but it is for the volume of equipment in the carrier may be relatively large. But as technology improves, will continue to reduce the size of the laser at the same time make it more efficient by 2015, its volume will be reduced to 15 m × 6 m × 3 m. By 2020, the volume may also be smaller, can be mounted on helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles to use. By 2030, the volume may be reduced to the extent of hand.