The U.S. Navy is set to make a major advance in weaponry: The addition of laser weaponry powerful enough to bring down drones and planes, as well as destroy small craft and incoming missiles. Service officials said in an interview with Scout Warrior and cited by The National Interest that Navy officials want to arm destroyers, cruisers and other vessels with low-cost, shipboard laser weapons in the near future, once the technology has been developed and proven. Such systems could even be deployed aboard aircraft carriers as well. The Office of Naval Research is finalizing a 12-month, $53-million deal with defense contractor Northrop Grumman to build a Laser Weapon System Demonstrator in three phases, including an initial design phase, ground-testing phase and then testing weapons at sea aboard a Navy Self Defense test vessel, according to a statement issued by Northrop. “The company will design, produce, integrate, and support the shipboard testing of a 150-kilowatt-class solid state (...
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