How has the US military applied laser technology to defensive weapons?

The US defense system is capable of firing lasers with a capacity of up to 50 kilowatts.

The US military’s laser defense system (Image: Popular Mechanics)

As part of an ongoing effort to modernize combat weapons, the US Army is working with Kord Technologies to develop a new laser-based weapon.

The newly created Direct Energy Directed Short-Range Air Defense System (DE M-SHORAD for short) uses a 50 kilowatt laser built into the Stryker vehicle. DE M-SHORAD is designed to shoot down threats such as drones and mortars without the use of guns or heavy artillery. Kord Technologies is preparing four prototypes of the laser weapon system, mounted on an armored Stryker vehicle, to be deployed in September 2022.

Wesley Freiwald, vice president of missile defense at KBR, parent company of Kord Technologies, explains how this unique defense system works and why it is a valuable asset to with the US military.

What is the DE M-SHORAD Weapon System?

The laser used in the military will not be like the lasers we know. Lasers that are manufactured and applied in other fields have a power level of only about 0.005 watts. At low power levels, lasers appear to be harmless. The DE M-SHORAD weapon system is significantly more powerful, the lasers fired from this weapon system have an output of up to 50 kilowatts. They can destroy drones and mortars, assisting troops in defending the area.

More technically in-depth, the DE M-SHORAD weapon system uses a solid-state laser to take advantage of the elements lanthanum in the periodic table – lanthanum (57) to lutetium (71) – a.k.a. rare earth element. These elements are highly excitable, which means you can get a lot of electricity or energy from them without chemicals or gas. And this is useful for the military for a number of reasons.

The benefits that the DE M-SHORAD weapon system brings

According to Freiwald, solid-state lasers can help reduce cost per target kill, a metric commonly used to measure the value of defenses. “Transporting heavy lead and explosives in combat requires a lot of people and costs a lot,” he said. With solid-state lasers, all you really need is a large power supply.”

Another benefit of using DE M-SHORAD systems is that they do not leave unexploded shrapnel on the battlefield, thereby reducing unnecessary casualties.

While there may still be certain risks, the DE M-SHORAD system is generally easier to use, more cost-effective and safer than traditional kinetic ballistic weapons. “You simply turn it on and turn it off,” Freiwald said. “But with a conventional missile, it takes a lot of steps to launch it. If it hits, that’s a great thing.” Great, but if you don’t hit, you have to make preparations to launch another rocket.”

Close-up of the US military’s DE M-SHORAD defense system (Image: Popular Mechanics)

First 4 prototypes

Several companies are working together to build each component of the DE M-SHORAD system, from the Stryker vehicle, the laser beams to the laser strips, but Kord and KBR remain the two main developers of the project. “You need to integrate all those factors and KBR is a company with a long history in this area,” says Freiwald. The company is currently working on four prototypes, which will be on the market in September.”

“If these are successful, the U.S. military is looking at acquiring more of them for use in dynamics research programs,” added Freiwald.

When soldiers start using this laser system in actual combat, KBR will review and learn from the first four prototypes to adjust them to the most optimal.