---
title: "Raytheon Says Laser Weapon Will Blast Nuclear Missiles From Sky"
description: "In order to prevent devastating hypersonic missile strikes, military contractor Raytheon is working towards a powerful laser capable of shooting them down."
date: "2019-05-21"
modified: "2019-05-21"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/raytheon-lasers-hypersonic-missiles"
categories:
  - "Energy"
  - "Nuclear Fusion"
  - "Renewable Energy"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "lasers"
  - "missiles"
  - "technology"
  - "the digest"
---

# Raytheon Says Laser Weapon Will Blast Nuclear Missiles From Sky

![In order to prevent devastating hypersonic missile strikes, military contractor Raytheon is working towards a powerful laser capable of shooting them down.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/raytheon-lasers-hypersonic-missiles.png>)
*\<em\>Image: Raytheon\</em\>*

## Pew Pew!

Military technology company Raytheon is teasing plans to build a powerful laser weapon capable of shooting down hypersonic nuclear missiles.

A hypersonic missile is able to strike at several times the speed of sound. That's too fast for conventional anti-missile technology, but on Monday [Raytheon tweeted out](<https://twitter.com/Raytheon/status/1130609240870182913>) an animated video showing a futuristic laser zapping hypersonic missiles out of the sky.

https://twitter.com/Raytheon/status/1130609240870182913

## Planning Ahead

Neither hypersonic missiles nor these advanced lasers exist today. But several countries, [including the U.S.](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/raytheon-hypersonic-tactical-boost-glide>), are working to build hypersonic weaponry. Putting defensive measures in place before the threat exists could prevent devastating missile launches, [according to *Defence Blog*](<https://defence-blog.com/army/raytheon-discloses-future-lasers-that-can-stop-hypersonic-missiles.html>).

There are still a lot of technological hurdles for Raytheon to clear. Today's laser weapons may not be strong enough to stop a hypersonic missile, meaning an anti-hypersonic missile laser would need drastically more power, according to *Defence Blog*. Meanwhile, it would also need to precisely bullseye a projectile moving several times faster than anything a laser has [needed to hit](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/us-military-giant-laser-cannon>) so far.

## Deterrence

But if the laser works, it could serve as a deterrent to countries [developing nuclear weapons](<https://futurism.com/pentagon-darpa-intercepting-hypersonic-nukes>).

"Imagine you're a country that has to invest in a nuclear weapon," Raytheon representative Evan Hunt told *Defence Blog*, "and then all of a sudden the U.S. comes out with an ability to shoot your nuclear weapon down at cents per shot. I think you could really hurt people's incentive to go that route."

**READ MORE:** [Raytheon discloses future lasers that can stop hypersonic missiles](<https://defence-blog.com/army/raytheon-discloses-future-lasers-that-can-stop-hypersonic-missiles.html>) \[*Defence Blog*\]

**More on hypersonic weapons:** *[The Pentagon Needs Help Intercepting “Hypersonic” Nukes](<https://futurism.com/pentagon-darpa-intercepting-hypersonic-nukes>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)