<h2>Battle Ready</h2>
For the past year, the U.S. has been throwing around the idea of establishing a &#8220;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/politics/pentagon-russia-china-laser-threat/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Space Force</a>&#8221; to prepare it for off-world warfare.
On Monday, the public got a clearer idea of just what kind of battles the nation expects might be on the horizon: <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/politics/pentagon-russia-china-laser-threat/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">satellite attacks</a> by laser weapons. In other words, the real world is sounding more like &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; every day.
<h2>Major Lasers</h2>
On Monday, the Pentagon released a <a href="https://media.defense.gov/2019/Feb/11/2002088710/-1/-1/1/SPACE-SECURITY-CHALLENGES.PDF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> titled &#8220;Challenges to Security in Space&#8221; in which a key claim is that Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are in the process of developing technologies they could use to attack U.S. satellites.
According to the report, at least two of these nations — China and Russia — are &#8220;likely&#8221; pursuing &#8220;laser weapons to disrupt, degrade, or damage satellites and their sensors.&#8221;
&#8220;China likely will field a ground-based laser weapon that can counter low-orbit space-based sensors by 2020,&#8221; the report reads, &#8220;and by the mid-to-late 2020s, it may field higher power systems that extend the threat to the structures of non-optical satellites.&#8221;
Russia, meanwhile, already has a land-based laser weapon the Pentagon believes is &#8220;likely intended for an anti-satellite mission.&#8221; The nation is now reportedly &#8220;developing an airborne (anti-satellite) laser weapon system to use against space-based missile defense sensors.&#8221;
<h2>Vital Network</h2>
The <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/nuclear-weapons/space-weapons/what-are-satellites-used-for#.XGMHvs9KiV4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">importance of satellites</a> to modern life — not just modern military operations — is nearly impossible to overstate. The devices play an integral role in our abilities to communicate with one another, navigate the world around us, study important issues such as climate change, and much more.
If one nation did want to wreak havoc on another, taking out its satellites would certainly do the trick. So if the intel behind the Pentagon&#8217;s new report is solid, it&#8217;s imperative that the U.S. find ways to counter any laser threats to U.S. satellites — no matter how much they may sound like science fiction.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/politics/pentagon-russia-china-laser-threat/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Pentagon Report Warns of Russian and Chinese Laser Threats to US Satellites</a> [CNN]
More on the space force: <a href="https://futurism.com/trump-announces-space-force" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The US May Soon Have the World’s First Space Force</a>

An attack on U.S. satellites would hurt far more than just the military.

Pentagon warns that enemies could shoot US satellites with lasers

Space Insecurity

A newly released Pentagon report details the laser weapons likely in development by China and Russia to attack U.S. satellites.

Pentagon Warns That Enemies Could Shoot US Satellites With Lasers

China and Russia are "likely" developing "laser weapons to disrupt, degrade, or damage satellites."

<h2>Burn Book</h2>
One of the Navy’s advanced weaponry research facilities is about to wipe its own memory.
But instead of formatting a hard drive or two, a research office of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has a call out for contractors who would be able to incinerate some 4,000 pounds of IT equipment, hard drives, and other data storage devices down &#8220;to ash,&#8221; <a href="https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2019/02/navy-needs-2-tons-storage-devices-burned-ash/154629/">according to Nextgov</a>.
<h2>Laser Beams</h2>
The NAVSEA research base in question, which is located at the Army’s White Sands Missile Range, is responsible for testing <a href="https://www.wsmr.army.mil/testcenter/TWSO/Pages/UnitedStatesNavyatWhiteSandsMissileRange.aspx">what its website calls</a> &#8220;directed energy weapons&#8221; — laser guns, according to Nextgov — as well as rocket launch support systems. Whatever laser tests occurred there, the Navy is now taking steps to make sure that no one finds what happened.
That means that the incineration job, which is expected to take about ten hours, will be guarded around the clock to make sure that none of the highly-sensitive records survive, <a href="https://www.fbo.gov/index.php?s=opportunity&amp;mode=form&amp;id=79dfdc2d7956d1a965f1d7286ec67fbb&amp;tab=core&amp;_cview=1">according to the job listing</a>.
<h2>Bidding War</h2>
And hey, if you’re the lucky reader who happens to have a high-security incineration facility near the New Mexico missile range, Nextgov reports that contractors can bid on the job through the afternoon of Feb. 8.
According to the posting, The Navy is hoping to have the whole affair wrapped up by October, at which point the <a href="https://futurism.com/us-military-dod-lasers-scream-flash-burn-clothes">records of its laser research</a> can blow away in the wind.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2019/02/navy-needs-2-tons-storage-devices-burned-ash/154629/">Researchers at the Naval Surface Warfare Center have a lot of classified information stored on digital devices and issued a solicitation to literally watch it all burn.</a> [Nextgov]
More on weapons research: <a href="https://futurism.com/russias-latest-weapon-laser-cannon">Russia’s Latest Weapon: A Laser Cannon</a>

You'd think they could just use the lasers.

The Navy is incinerating hard drives about laser weapon research

Major Laser

A Navy research facility just put out a call for contractors who can totally incinerate 4,000 pounds of hard drives from a laser research program.

The Navy Is Incinerating Hard Drives About Laser Weapon Research

About 4,000 pounds of hard drives and other equipment need to go.

<h2>New Arms Race</h2>
Earlier today, the Russian News Agency announced <a href="http://tass.com/defense/1034344">that the military has begun to deploy Peresvet</a>, a bona-fide laser cannon. In the announcement, Russian President Vladimir Putin is quoted as he boasts about the death ray, adding that &#8220;Russia&#8217;s capacities for defending itself have multiplied.&#8221;
You certainly wouldn&#8217;t want to stand in front of it, but Peresvet probably won&#8217;t be used against actual people. It&#8217;s far more likely target and disable incoming missiles or drones than it is to vaporize soldiers, <a href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/vlk.htm">according to GlobalSecurity.org</a>.
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<h2>What you Missed</h2>
The announcement, complete with a sort of unboxing video of Peresvet, seems to be a taunt directed squarely at the U.S., <a href="https://gizmodo.com/russia-shows-off-new-laser-weapon-after-u-s-threatens-1830874116">Gizmodo reports</a>.
In case you missed it, the U.S. threatened to pull out of a key missile treaty yesterday. Tearing up the treaty would mean that the U.S could deploy nuclear missiles aimed at Russia on allied turf in Europe, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened to do just that, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/04/us-inf-russia-nuclear-treaty-deadline">according to The Guardian</a>.
The State Department&#8217;s decision comes in response to perceived Russian violations of the treaty, including developing new types of cruise missiles.
<h2>Set Phasers to Stun</h2>
In light of Russia&#8217;s laser saber rattling, it would seem that the State Department&#8217;s threat isn&#8217;t having the intended effect, and may have instead increased tension between the old Cold War powers.
While the contested treaty deals with nukes rather than lasers, Russia&#8217;s video may herald an arms race of futuristic weaponry — the U.S. military has been <a href="https://futurism.com/us-air-force-looking-to-integrate-combat-lasers-in-fighters-starting-in-2022">developing laser weaponry for years</a>. Here&#8217;s to hoping the adults can use their words before we all start blasting each other.
READ MORE: <a href="https://gizmodo.com/russia-shows-off-new-laser-weapon-after-u-s-threatens-1830874116">Russia Shows Off New Laser Weapon After U.S. Threatens to Pull Out of Missile Treaty</a> [Gizmodo]
More on laser weaponry: <a href="https://futurism.com/tactical-laser-weapon-module-can-laserify-almost-anything">Tactical Laser Weapon Module Can Laserify Almost Anything</a>

Russia just unboxed a futuristic new weapon.

Russia's latest weapon: a laser cannon

Worst Timeline

Russian media released a video of Peresvet today. Deployment of the laser turret seems to be a response to Pompeo's threat to tear up an arms treaty.

Russia’s Latest Weapon: A Laser Cannon

The threat of a cancelled treaty has Russia rattling sabers.

<h2>A Laser SHiELD</h2>
Having successfully equipped a ship with a laser weapon system, <a href="https://futurism.com/the-worlds-first-functional-laser-weapon-is-ready-to-protect-you/">known as LaWS</a>, the United States Air Force (USAF) is looking to send laser weaponry to literal new heights. The Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), the USAF scientific research wing has invested $26.3 million dollars with Lockheed Martin to design, develop, and build a laser weapon system to place on the military branch&#8217;s fighter jets. This initiative is a part of the AFRL&#8217;s Self-protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) program.  The USAF is looking to begin tests by 2021.
A statement from Lockheed Martin weapons expert, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lockheed-martin-receives-contract-to-develop-compact-airborne-high-energy-laser-capabilities-300549975.html">Rob Afza</a>, says, “We have demonstrated our ability to use directed energy to counter threats from the ground, and look forward to future tests from the air as part of the SHiELD system.”
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The weapon will be a defensive tool designed to blast missiles launched from the air or the ground out of the sky, preventing them from reaching their intended target.
<h2>Limited Scope</h2>
While fundraising for futuristic weaponry may be a cakewalk for military contractors, some experts doubt the efficacy of such weapons and question whether the immense cost is worth paying. According to a report from the <a href="https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2017/07/20/analysis-advantages-disadvantages-us-seaborne-laser-weapon-system.html">Strategic Culture Foundation</a>, “Lasers are no substitute for guns and missiles. They can add to the defensive capabilities but cannot be used as primary strike weapons.” Conventional weapons exist that can perform the same tasks and cost much less than developing new laser-based weaponry.<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/futuristic-weapons-how-we-will-fight-in-the-future/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2015/11/home-weapons-900x600.jpg" alt="Futuristic Weapons: How We Will Fight in the Future" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/futuristic-weapons-how-we-will-fight-in-the-future/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
Other hurdles with which the new technology will have to contend include having to be able to withstand vibrations, temperatures, and G forces, all while not hindering the performance of the aircraft to which it is attached.
As seen in the LaWS system, there is still hope for these weapons to carry a benefit for future applications. Conventional missiles could cost millions of dollars to launch, while the &#8220;rounds&#8221; used by LaWS only cost about a dollar.
In an increasingly volatile climate, the ability to defend innocent human lives around the world is of vital importance to the international community. Hopefully continued scientific development will equip peacekeepers with the best technology to ensure this goal.

The Air Force has invested $26.3 million in a high-energy laser for fighter jets

Robots & Machines

The USAF scientific research wing invested $26.3 million dollars in Lockheed Martin to design, develop, and build a laser weapon system for fighter jets.

The Air Force Has Invested $26.3 Million in a High-Energy Laser for Fighter Jets

The weapon will have to be able to withstand the g-force of a flying jet.

The U.S. Navy has announced that the world&#8217;s first functional laser weapon is ready for action. The weapon, known as the Laser Weapons System (LaWS), can be found mounted on the USS Ponce, which is currently deployed in the Persian Gulf.
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The weapon was designed to strategically take out flying unmanned vessels. It also has the ability to surgically destroy engines of manned watercraft without endangering the lives of any onboard personnel. <a href="https://www.icrc.org/eng/assets/files/publications/icrc-002-0173.pdf">The Geneva Convention </a>restricts the use of laser weapons against humans, but the high precision of the laser could allow it to target a ship&#8217;s engine without the use of missiles. &#8220;That type of precision weapon work is something that you don&#8217;t really get with conventional weapons because there tends to be more collateral damage,&#8221; <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/17/politics/us-navy-drone-laser-weapon/index.html">Inez Kelly</a>, a U.S. Naval Forces Central Command science adviser, told CNN.
This technology could be the beginning of replacing missiles for the purpose of destroying enemy targets. On top of sparing lives, the cost comparison of a single shot from LaWS and a missile is astounding: while missiles can cost up to millions of dollars, a single LaWS &#8220;round&#8221; only costs about one dollar.
The weapon is currently only approved for drones and water vessels, but the Navy is also testing other applications — under the cover of classified status, of course.

The U.S. Navy is ready to lay down the LaWS.

Future Society

The Laser Weapons System (LaWS) can be found mounted on the USS Ponce, which is currently deployed in the Persian Gulf.

The World’s First Functional Laser Weapon is Ready to Protect You

The weapon is designed to take out drones and ships and has future potential in missile defense.

<h2>Fighting with lasers</h2>
After announcing the development of a <a href="https://futurism.com/reaching-mach-6-lockheed-martin-technology-makes-major-aircraft-breakthroughs/">mach 6 capable aircraft</a>,  Lockheed Martin is now making strides in developing laser weaponry.
According to a press release from the security and advanced technologies company, it&#8217;s not even a matter of availability, but how quickly it can be integrated into current defense and military platforms.
In fact, when asked how quickly they can deliver a laser weapon system, if an organization like the Pentagon asked for one today, the team from Lockheed Martin unanimously agreed they could immediately produce a viable weapon for fielding.
&#8220;The technologies now exist,&#8221; <a href="http://sputniknews.com/us/20160316/1036376776/laser-weapons-us-technologies.html" target="_blank">says Paul Shattuck</a>, company director for Directed Energy Systems. &#8220;They can be packaged into a size, weight, power and thermal which can be fit onto relevant tactical platforms, whether it’s a ship, whether it’s a ground vehicle or whether it’s an airborne platform.&#8221;
<h2>Just how powerful is this laser, you ask?</h2>
<figure style="width: 450px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/03/tumblr_m8cyknXRmN1qg7nx1o1_500.gif"><img class="" style="line-height: 1.42857; width: 553px;" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/03/tumblr_m8cyknXRmN1qg7nx1o1_500.gif" alt="" width="450" height="236" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Credit: <a href="http://holden421.tumblr.com/post/28869700415">holden421</a></figcaption></figure>
From a full-on Star Wars space battle to a laser pointer, Lockheed Martin’s ATHENA (Advanced Test High Energy Asset) is an extremely versatile science project.
Although limited to a 15 &#8211; 30 KW scale, Shattuck says it can still bore a hole through a two inch piece of steel in seconds. At its current strength, it&#8217;s powerful enough to shoot down a drone or <a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/12972-lockheed-martin-is-ready-to-deliver-laser-weaponry" target="_blank">disable a truck’s engine</a> from over a mile away.
Lockheed is set to deliver a 60 KW laser for the Army by the end of the year, known as the RELY program. &#8220;We’re underway,&#8221; says Robert Afzal, senior fellow at Lockheed&#8217;s Laser and Sensor Systems “So we’re building hardware right now and we’re beginning the integration.”

Teams at Lockheed Martin assert that laser weapons that are powerful enough to burst through two-inch steel (and are cheaper than current kinetic weapons) are now available.

The Future of Defense: Advanced Laser Weapons Are Now Available

Powerful enough to shoot through steel and take down drones.

<figure id="attachment_25900" style="width: 185px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-25900 " src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/03/size0-262x300.jpg" alt="size0" width="185" height="212" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">US Army Research and Technology deputy assistant secretary Mary J. Miller. Credit: US Army</figcaption></figure>
Recent reports assert that the US army will be developing offensive and defensive laser weapons to enhance its military capabilities. In fact, the <a href="http://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/ms-ifpc_inc_2-i/">Indirect Fire Protection Capability</a> program has already set out to develop these weapons, and they plan to have them by 2023.
<a href="http://www.arl.army.mil/">US Army Research and Technology</a> deputy assistant secretary Mary J. Miller outlines the project clearly, saying &#8220;The Army&#8217;s S&amp;T effort is committed to pursuing high-energy lasers.&#8221;
She goes on to note that the project is already well underway, asserting, &#8220;Lasers have been promised for a long time, but they&#8217;ve never held up and delivered what was asked for, so the operators are rightfully skeptical. That&#8217;s why the army is taking lasers out into operational environments and testing them.&#8221;
These weapons aim to help the US forces to counter a host of threats, such as aerial vehicles and missiles.
<h5>New army program</h5>
The US army has also recently revealed its high-energy mobile demonstrator (HEL MD) program. The HEL MD includes a laser and vehicle-mounted beam director. Aside from that, it also has a multi-mode radar, also known as surrogate radar, support.
The <a href="https://www.airforce.com/">US Air Force</a> also has plans to develop an offensive laser that will be fitted to AFSOC AC-130 gunships in collaboration with the Special Operations Command.

The US Army and Air Force are developing laser weapons, and they should be here in less than a decade.

/Laser Weapons

Space Insecurity

Pentagon Warns That Enemies Could Shoot US Satellites With Lasers

Major Laser

The Navy Is Incinerating Hard Drives About Laser Weapon Research

Worst Timeline

Russia’s Latest Weapon: A Laser Cannon

Robots & Machines

The Air Force Has Invested $26.3 Million in a High-Energy Laser for Fighter Jets

Future Society

The World’s First Functional Laser Weapon is Ready to Protect You

Robots & Machines

The Future of Defense: Advanced Laser Weapons Are Now Available

Robots & Machines

US Army Says They Will Have Laser Weapons by 2023

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