How Laser Weapons are Changing Military Defense and Offense

Laser weapons are agile, have infinite ammunition, and can take down a variety of targets.

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As technology advances, so too is the way that we carry out modern warfare. No, not the game, rather the weapons that militaries use around the world in everyday defense.

Drones are posing a significant security threat to bases around the world, but historically the best way to take out a $200 drone might be to shoot it down with a $100,000 missile. That hardly seems worth it. However, technology is advancing. 

Laser weapons are proving to be low-cost high-impact options for militaries around the world. They are highly accurate as well as incredibly flexible – as well as reusable. Another benefit is that they minimize collateral damage, only taking out the intended target.

How laser weapons work

Laser weapons of the modern era are fueled by decades of research from companies like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. 

The laser systems developed by these companies run on batteries and Lockheed Martin specifically uses a technology called a Spectral Beam Combined Fiber Laser. This is a small and powerful laser beam system that utilizes artificially intelligent algorithms to stream fiber lasers into one larger beam.