Lockheed Martin is the first in the world to deliver the HELIOS laser weapon - it works on the principle of the "Death Star"
American defense company Lockheed Martin is the first in the world to supply HELIOS tactical laser weapons for warships.
What we know
The manufacturer plans to equip the ships of the United States Navy with the new weapon. Whether HELIOS will be used by the allies is still unknown. Lockheed Martin says that the new system is characterized by high speed of reaction, low cost and accuracy.
HELIOS is a fiber-optic laser based on spectral stacking. It uses a coherent beam of enormous power to hit enemy objects, and several sources of radiation are used to form it. By the way, a similar principle of operation is the basis of the "Death Star" from Star Wars.
The first ship to receive a test version of HELIOS was the USS Preble. It successfully tested the laser in 2021. The debut test of the technology took place in 2020, but not at sea, but at the landfill. The power of HELIOS is 60 kW. It is not enough to destroy aircraft and ships, but the system can disable devices, which are equipped with enemy equipment. In addition, HELIOS can destroy light targets, including unmanned aerial vehicles.
Source: Lockheed Martin
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