Raytheon Technologies, in conjunction with the US Air Force (USAF) Life Cycle Management Center, has successfully delivered and tested the air force’s first palletised high-energy laser weapon, the company announced on 12 June 2023.
The system, which was actually delivered in the autumn of last year, was tested during four days of continuous live-fire exercises at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Known as H4, the system is the fourth operational laser weapon system that Raytheon Technologies has delivered to the USAF and the first 10 kW laser built to US military specifications in a stand-alone configuration that can be moved and mounted wherever it is needed. It is the eighth high-energy laser the company has delivered to the US Department of Defense.
“The palletised laser weapon, aimed at protecting people and assets against short-range aerial threats, passed the air force’s Test and Assessment plan,” Raytheon stated. “This included multiple days of live-fire exercises to acquire, target, track and destroy drone targets in short-range attack, swarm attack, and long-range threat scenarios.”
“Anywhere the air force sees a threat from drones, they now have four proven laser weapons that can be deployed to stop asymmetrical threats,” Michael Hofle, senior director of High-Energy Lasers at Raytheon Technologies, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “Whether it’s on a fixed location, a flatbed or even a pick-up, these laser weapons are compact, rugged and ready to go. That’s why we’re proud to support the air force’s effort to provide this new tech to the personnel who need it in the field, who can trust and be confident in the system’s capabilities.”
Small enough to fit on the bed of a pick-up truck, the H4 comprises “a high-energy laser weapon module, a long-range electro-optical/infra-red sensor that also serves as the beam director, thermal control, internal electrical power, and targeting software – all packaged together for use in the toughest combat environments,” Raytheon stated. The system is operated with a laptop and a video-game-style controller and can plug into numerous existing air defence and command-and-control systems to provide an additional layer of air defence.
The palletised H4 system was built in the world’s first laser weapon factory in McKinney, Texas, said Raytheon, and delivered to the Life Cycle Management Center nine months after receiving the procurement order.
Peter Felstead
