Media: the American program to create laser weapons has reached a dead end

Asia Times: The US Navy is experiencing huge problems with the introduction of laser weapons

The US Navy urgently needs laser weapons, but setbacks in development have stalled the introduction of laser weapons into the fleet, writes Asia Times.

As noted, the US Navy’s Director of Surface Warfare Requirements, Rear Admiral Fred Pyle, expressed disappointment with the current pace of development of laser weapon systems. In his opinion, in the process of creating laser weapons and introducing them into the US Navy, overly inflated promises, as well as failure to fulfill assigned tasks, are increasingly being recorded.

The U.S. Navy’s top surface warfare officer, Vice Adm. Brendan McClain, also expressed frustration at the pace of development of laser weapon systems for the fleet, noting that such weapons must meet the military-industrial complex’s promise of low cost per shot. According to him, at the moment, for the introduction of laser weapons on US Navy ships, such requirements are put forward in terms of weight, dimensions, energy consumption and cooling, which may be impossible for modern American warships.

Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro has expressed concern that laser weapons are taking too long to develop.

The article notes that although the current air defense systems of American ships are quite effective, their high cost per shot and limited ammunition raise serious concerns about the high cost of operation and the survivability of ships.

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