DIRECTED ENERGY PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY
JOURNAL OF DIRECTED ENERGY

 

 

 

 

Journal Vol 1 No 1

Tactical High Energy Laser

J. Shwartz and J. Nugent
    Northrop Grumman Space Technology, S/1040, 1 Space Park,
    Redondo Beach, California 90278

D. Card
    U.S. Army Air and Missile Defense Program Executive Office, SFAB-AMD-SHO-DF,
    Building 5308, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama 35898

G. Wilson
    U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, SMDC-TC-D, 100 Wynn Drive,
    Huntsville, Alabama 35805

and

J. Avidor and E. Behar
    Directorate of Defense Research and Development, Israel Ministry of Defense,
    Hakirya, Tel Aviv 61909, Israel

The tactical high energy laser (THEL) is a ground-based stationary laser weapon demonstrator jointly developed by the U.S. Army and the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMoD). Its specific mission was to engage and destroy artillery rockets and similar ballistic threats. By now this demonstrator has shot down 28 artillery rockets and 5 artillery projectiles under a wide range of engagement scenarios, clearly demonstrating the feasibility of using a laser weapon to defend against such threats. Following the success of the THEL program, the U.S. Army and IMoD embarked on a System Engineering and Trade Study (SETS) program to define concepts for a mobile THEL (or MTHEL) that will be a fully operational and militarized laser weapon capable of defending against a wide range of aerial threats, as well as short-range ballistic threats. Several concepts were developed and are being fleshed out and traded to help decide which one will best serve the requirements of the U.S. Army and IMoD. This paper starts with a brief overview of the THEL history and then provides a detailed description of the THEL system. The live-fire tests performed with THEL at the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range, in New Mexico, are briefly reviewed, and a MTHEL concept is also described in some detail. The paper concludes with a summary that highlights the significance of the THEL development and test program as a pathfinder for introducing a revolutionary air defense capability that can potentially change the face of the battlefield.

 

KEYWORDS: Lasers for Air Defense, Laser Weapon Demonstrator, Tactical Lasers