DEFESA
Exército dos EUA usa armas de laser em combate
October 7, 2024 -
Após décadas de investigação e desenvolvimento, as forças armadas
dos EUA estão oficialmente a usar armas de laser em zonas de combate.
Deployed in 2022, the P-HEL (Palletised High Energy Laser) has shot down multiple attacking drones at an unspecified location in the Middle East.
At its heart is the BlueHalo Locust, a 1.5 tonne solid-state laser system with its own target-tracking radar, guided with an Xbox controller, which provides 360-degree coverage for air defence.
The P-HEL's employment comes as the U.S. military seeks to bolster its air defence capabilities to protect service members abroad not just with expensive conventional munitions but effective, lower-cost, counter-drone solutions that can knock incoming threats out of the sky without breaking the bank.