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With headlines like this one, it would be helpful to add the country the army is from, for example in parentheses.
this post was submitted on 26 Apr 2024
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"While the service declined to specify where the P-HEL systems were deployed, citing operational security, the Defense Department's top spokesman had previously suggested that directed-energy weapons were part of the defensive arsenal of U.S. military forces in the Middle East currently subject to the ongoing drone and missile attacks since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October."
But really Gaza or Ukraine ๐คท๐ผโโ๏ธ
I meant something like
[US] The Army Has Officially Deployed Laser Weapons Overseas to Combat Enemy Drones
For anti-drone missions it could also be the red sea. The UK has some naval lasers.
I expect these to work with great efficiency for a few months until someone realises they can just slap mirrors onto their drones.
High energy weapons can destroy mirrors.
Even if the mirrors are capable of reflecting the laser light, they likely unable to reflect two different wavelengths. So two high energy lasers would negate the mirrors effect.
Most of the mirrors able to reflect this are likely to cost more than the drones they would protect.
The best and cheapest strategy would be to fly the drones close to the ground. The closer they are the harder it will be for radar to detect, and lasers to target as there will be more obstacles in the path of the sensors/weapon.
Any sustained major conflict these high energy weapons make a significant impact will likely see drones quickly flying low on the ground. This will make it harder for automated systems to shot, but easier for soldiers with rifles.
What companies make shotguns and shotgun rounds for the MIC? Inquiring for an amateur day trader friend.
Edit: Does anyone make anti-recoil drones with Spinny bits? asking for a friend... another one.
I just picture Tom Knapp casually tossing his Benelli into the air then catching it and turning ten drones into orange dust.
The man was amazing. Those videos are quite entertaining.
I picture Jerry Miculek waxing multiple drones with a shotgun then casually turning toward the camera to talk about his split times.
Will they burn though aluminum foil?
Yes easily. This is neither the first fielding of laser systems nor an impressive one. There are 50kW systems that burn through incoming artillery shells, drone rated lasers are 15 kW for all chassis.
It's not a secret either, you can literally look up Raytheon's brochure.
Has anyone developed any counter measures to these types of weapons?
Mirrors?
A mirror.
A mirror thick enough to resist the heating of the laser would make the drone significantly heavier.
It doesn't take much as all it has to do is reflect most of the light
20kw dumped into aluminium foil will melt instantly.
Will it though? Most of it will get reflected
Depends on the wavelength of the laser and whether or not the mirror can actually reflect it.
Aluminum Foil