Give ’em E-HEL: Army seeks industry ideas for counter-drone laser systems
The Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program is the Army’s first program of record for a new family of high-energy lasers.
The Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program is the Army’s first program of record for a new family of high-energy lasers.
The heavy variant would be based on a Palletized Loading System and fire either Tomahawk or PAC-3 missiles, while the medium-class launcher would use an FMTV to fire Multiple Launch Rocket System munitions or AIM-9X interceptors.
“We continue to move down the path we were on. But as far as decisions on, when do we field, when IOC will be, etcetera, those have to be vetted,” Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch told Breaking Defense.
Typhon, also called the Mid-Range Capability, is designed to hit targets between the ranges of two other high-profile Army weapons.
"I think it's September you'll see us open up up the aperture, looking at other capabilities besides low collateral effects," said Stan Darbro, Army RCCTO deputy.
PrSM is preparing for its first 300-plus-mile flight test this year, while the ERCA cannon and hypersonic LRHW head for key tests in 2023.
In April, the Yuma, Ariz. test range will host a competition of “low collateral damage” countermeasures designed to stop mini-drones without firing a shot. But can such a restrained approach stop the drone swarms Russia and others are developing?
Lockheed Martin won a $339 million contract today to integrate two Raytheon-made missiles, now used by the Navy, into a truck-mounted artillery battery by 2023.
Weapons from hypersonics to howitzers have key deadlines to meet next year to keep to the Army’s ambitious timeline, Lt. Gen. Neil Thurgood and Brig. Gen. John Rafferty tell Breaking Defense.
The modestly named “Mid-Range Capability” will hit targets more than one thousand miles away, Lt. Gen. Neil Thurgood tells me. But the brand-new program needs reprogramming authority from Congress to catch up to other Army missiles already in flight tests.
Meant to target Chinese warships and Russia’s rear bases, the new intermediate-range missile will fill the gap between the 500+ km PrSM and the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon.
Contractors are already “bending metal” on components for both 50-kilowatt and 300-kW lasers, Army scientist Craig Robin said.
THOR puts high-powered microwaves to fry drone swarms' electronics in a rugged and deployable package.
The first four flight tests – one a failure -- took nine years. The next five will take less than three years.