US Navy shows USS Preble destroyer with HELIOS laser weapon - Death Star replaces Vulcan cannon
A week ago, Lockheed Martin announced deliveries of HELIOS laser systems to the U.S. Navy. The first ship to receive the Death Star was the destroyer USS Preble.
Here's What We Know
The Alreigh Burketype destroyer of the United States Navy received the HELIOS laser weapon to replace the traditional cannon. The unit is located on a pad that was intended for the 20mm Vulcan cannon of the Mk 15 Phalanx Close in Weapon System.
Flashback
HELIOS is an acronym for High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance. The laser system works on the principle of the "Death Star" from Star Wars, but has a power of 60 kW, which is not enough to destroy not only planets but also enemy ships. However, the laser can hit boats and drones.
While the developers have not increased the power of the laser, the main task of HELIOS remains the blinding of optical systems and enemy ships. In the near future, Lockheed Martin will install a fiber-optic laser based on spectral stacking on another Alreigh Burke-type ship.
Source: The Drive
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