Washington, DC--The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will be buying a second 150 kW military laser from General Atomics—Aeronautical Systems Incorporated (GA-ASI; San Diego, CA); the laser is intended for use by the U.S. Navy. The 24 month contract for the second HELLADS laser includes 12 months for the production of the laser itself and 12 months for operation and maintenance support.
GA-ASI is already developing and fabricating a single High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS) 150 kW laser for DARPA; the first laser will be integrated with an existing U.S. Air Force ground-based beam-control system for field testing through 2014. The laser is designed to be small enough to be integrated into a tactical aircraft for defensive use against incoming missiles and artillery.
The second HELLADS laser, which will be identical to the first, is to used by the Navy in its demo of a 150 kW high-energy laser weapon system against surface-ship-relevant tactical targets, slated to happen before the end of 2014. (Because the first HELLADS laser is committed to the DARPA/Air Force field demonstration, it won't be available to the Navy for its demo.)
