DRDO developing DURGA II laser weapon for land, naval, air use?
Earlier this week, US defence website
Defense News reviewed the status of hypersonic weapons and DEW programmes worldwide.
Defense News reported the DRDO has sought $100 million from the ministry of defence to develop a high-power laser weapon.
"The classified project, dubbed DURGA II (Directionally Unrestricted Ray-Gun Array), will see the Indian Army receive the 100-kilowatt, lightweight directed-energy system, a service official told
Defense News. A senior DRDO scientist said on condition of anonymity that the DURGA II program is currently in the concept stage. He added that the organization is developing and improving various laser-generation techniques using solid state, fiber and chemical lasers for defensive and offensive use.
The scientist also said DURGA II is to be integrated with land-, sea- and air-based platforms,"
Defense News reported.
The
Defense News report noted the Laser Science and Technology Centre at Delhi was the lead laboratory in developing laser weapons. "The center has so far made a 25-kilowatt laser that can target a ballistic missile during its terminal phase at a maximum distance of 5 kilometers,"
Defense News reported.
A directed-energy weapon damages or destroys its target using focussed energy
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