Navy appears to be moving forward with fielding prototype laser weapons aboard the destroyer USS Dewey

SAN DIEGO – A recent photo shows the American Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Dewey outfitted with a new turreted system installed on its forward close-in weapon system pedestal—an area usually left open on the majority of Flight IIA Arleigh Burke class destroyers. The Drive reports. Continue reading original article

The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:

14 Nov. 2019 -- The ship has been used to test cutting-edge capabilities, like the temporarily installed Laser Weapon System (LaWS) and the firing of Hyper-Velocity Projectiles.

The installation looks most like renderings of the Lockheed Martin High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) laser weapon system, which is set to be installed in that position on a Burke-class destroyer for its initial fielding.

The Ruggedized High Energy Laser (RHEL), a similar effort, also is in the works. The Navy has three other shipboard laser prototype programs underway beyond these two as part of its Navy Laser Family of Systems (NLFoS) initiative and its periphery programs.

Just last month it was reported that Northrop Grumman shipped its Solid-State Laser Technology Maturation (SSL-TM) system to San Diego. It will be installed on the amphibious transport dock USS Portland for trials.

Related: Navy Flight III Burke-class destroyers expected to have laser weapons, all-new radar, and perhaps railguns

Related: Navy asks industry to build ship solid-state laser weapon for realistic testing at sea

Related: Navy asks Northrop Grumman to build new shipboard laser weapon that builds on LaWS technologies

John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics