Indian Laser and Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) Thread

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India is currently working upon a series of DEWs to improve its anti-ballistic missile capability. According to officials at the Laser Science and Technology Center (LASTEC), a laboratory developing lasers and related technologies, belonging to the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) – an agency under India’s Ministry of Defence working on various areas of military technology while striving to meet cutting edge weapons technology requirements – a laser weapon (one among the DEWs pack) could fire a beam with a potency of 25 kilowatts to intercept and destruct an incoming ballistic missile in its terminal phase within the range of seven kilometers (4.3 miles). The targeting laser beam raises the shell temperature of the ballistic missile to 400+ degrees Fahrenheit, as a consequence of which the ballistic missile would explode.

Work is also in progress for a 100-kilowatt solid-state laser system to eliminate missiles that are in their boost phase. Besides, LASTEC, functioning under the DRDO, with a mandate to develop DEWs for the Indian Armed Forces, announced in 2010 that it was developing a vehicle-mounted gas dynamic laser-based DEW system under its Aditya project, slated for completion by 2013. Having already overshot its time stipulation, this project is still a work in progress. Once ready, the Aditya project will be a technology demonstrator to prove beam control technology. Last, LASTEC will commence developing solid-state lasers, for which no timeline has yet been set, at least in the public domain.
The Ray of Death: Directed-Energy Weapons » Indian Defence Review
Saurav Jha's Blog : Interview with the Chief of DRDO, Avinash Chander -Part II

 

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DEW's Programme Update -

DRDO has confirmed that it has recently undertaken a project for the development of a self-contained HMV-mounted laser weapon system for detection/tracking and physical destruction of UAVs up to a range of 5 km under normal environmental conditions.​

Preliminary system design architecture and technology gaps have been identified and efforts are being made for international collaborations for fast-track development in the project.

100 kW Class Directed Energy Laser Weapon System is very powerful Laser which DRDO is developing said Defence Expert Vinayak Shetty when he first heard about it and it will have ability to take down much more then UAV’s thanks to such a powerful Laser said Shetty. he further explained that only Last year U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin to design, build and test a 60-kilowatt electric laser to be integrated and tested in a truck-mounted weapon system demonstrator which will have ability to counter rockets, artillery, mortars and unmanned aerial threats.

Chinese companies recently developed a powerful anti-drone laser for use in urban areas. 10 kilowatt lasers has ability to target mini-UAVs like quad copters and hand launched drones which could be used by terrorists to scout out attacks, or act as impromptu bombers on Urban areas. Laser has a range of 2km and a 50 metre altitudes.

US Navy is currently fielding the Laser Weapons System (LaWS), a 15-50kW laser on board USS Ponce which is an Austin-class amphibious transport dock of the United States Navy which has ability to target drones and enemy missiles .​

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From the Indian Defence Expo 2014 -

DRDO's Counter IED 1 KW Laser - enables remote disposal of surface laid unexploded ordnances, mines, directional mines and IEDs. The laser is mounted on a Light Security Vehicle made by TATA Motors. The system’s effective range is 30-250 meters. The smaller aperture adjacent to the main laser unit is a rangefinder, designed to determine the exact distance to target. The system also employs a target sighting camera.

Range 50 to 250 meters.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Vehicle Mounted Laser Weapon System called as Dazzler.
It really dazzles.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

It's for Targeting Drones as well.
Link from TOI.
DRDO working on Star Wars-like weapons

A stormtrooper in front of a to-scale 'Star Wars' TIE fighter. DRDO is working on Star Wars-like weapons. (AP photo for representation purpose)

New Delhi: From "heat rays" in H G Wells' science fiction novel 'The War of the Worlds' of 1898 to galactic super-lasers in George Lucas' continuing 'Star Wars' film saga, concentrated energy weapons have been fantasised about for long without them becoming operationally viable.

But advanced militaries now think directed energy weapons (DEWs) like high-energy lasers and high-powered microwaves will become strategic game-changers in the not-too-distant a future. While the US, Russia, China and others are leagues ahead in the race to develop advanced DEWs, though their actual operational deployment is still some distance away, India is also trying to make some headway towards such futuristic weapons.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is already tom-tomming its ongoing development of a 10-kilowatt DEW against UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) like targets, with "the establishment of critical technologies of precision tracking/pointing and laser beam combination".

The "system" has been tested up to a range of 800 meters at its Hyderabad-based Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS), and was also demonstrated to the armed forces at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory's firing range at Ramgarh (Haryana) in September last year.

Development of DEWs and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons has been identified as a top-priority area in the 15-year "technology perspective and capability roadmap" chalked out by the defence ministry, as reported by TOI earlier.

The DRDO, often criticised for huge time and cost overruns in its projects, says smaller systems like laser-based ordnance disposal of IEDs and mines, hand-held laser dazzlers to overpower armed terrorists and vehicle-mounted laser dazzlers for controlling unruly mobs have already been developed.

But the real challenge will be in achieving the declared aim to develop solid-state laser DEWs for aircraft and warships, which can destroy enemy ballistic missiles in their "boost phase itself", somewhat akin to what is already being tested by the US.

The DRDO's Laser Science & Technology Centre is working on an array of systems from "chemical oxygen iodine lasers" to "high-power fiber lasers" for st-rategic uses, which includes a 25-kilowatt laser to take on a ballistic missile du-ring its "terminal phase" at a distance of 5-7 km.

All this has gained momentum after the government in February 2014 sanctioned Rs 115 crore for de-velopment of "experimental technology modules for directed energy laser syst-ems" by CHESS, with the project completion date being set for July 2017.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Rest will be posted few hours later.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Thanks for creating this thread ..

 

[Navnit Kundu]

DRDO beings testing of Gas dynamic laser-based Aditya technology demonstrator

The Dazzler weapon and this Aditya technology demonstrator are technologically different, although both are DEWs. Dazzler causes temporary optical obfuscation of cameras, optics and eyes so an exception has been made by the 1995 UN resolution on blinding weapons. Dazzler can be used, at the most on cameras and protesters, rioters, without burning or permanent damage. Aditya and Kali are the real DEW in the true sense of the word. Different types of weapons for different types of enemies.

Basically, Aditya is meant for Raheel Sharif, Dazzler is meant for Barkha Dirt.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

This weapon is truly a beauty.
Isn't it? :biggrin2:
DRDO's Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) Program & LASTEC's Aditya Project



DRDO's CHESS (Center for High Energy Systems and Science), Hyderabad is developing Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) systems for use by the Indian Armed Forces (AFs).

Laser Science and Technology Center (LASTEC) is developing laser source technologies for Directed Energy Weapon (DEW), as also for dazzling and imaging applications.

LASTEC Capability Development

LASTEC has developed core technologies including Gas Dynamic Laser (GDL) and Chemical Oxygen Iodine Lasers (COIL) and demonstrated 100 kW (multi mode) GDL and 20 kW (single mode) COIL sources.

LASTEC's Aditya Gas Dynamic High Power Laser based Directed Energy System

LASTEC's Aditya project was an experimental test bed to seed the critical DEW technologies. The Gas Dynamic High Power laser based Directed Energy System can be broadly divided into two major subsystems:

1. Laser Power Source
2. Beam Delivery System

The Laser beam used in a DEW is subject to attenuation (loss of intensity) due to atmospheric air and jitter due to the turbulence within the atmospheric air. The damage caused by the beam progressively reduces with target distance.

In order to cause the stipulated damages at 0.8 km and 2.5 km distance using a 0.7 m aperture telescope, laser power of the order of 100 kW is required . The beam delivery system has to simultaneously perform several roles. It acquires and tracks the distant static and moving target in real time and points and focuses the laser beam on the target. The adaptive optical system has to compensate for the jitter and wave front distortion of the laser beam from the source.



The technology related to laser source, beam delivery and issues related to system integration on mobile platforms were addressed during the execution of the Aditya project which will provide useful input to future laser weapon programs of DRDO



You can read more about the Aditya project here.
DEW for Use Against UAVs

One of the DEW weapon systems being developed would target UAV's.

Project Progress

In July 2015, CHESS invited tenders for 3 radio control (RC) aero models with minimum wingspan of 1600-mm, min. wing area of 800 sq in., and min fuselage length of 1200-mm. The aero-models should be able to fly at altitudes in excess of 400-m.

It's likely that the procurement is aimed at field testing the IIR sight CHESS has developed for its anti UAV weapon. Typically battlefield mini UAVs fly at around 1000-ft AGL in order to stay clear of small arm fire.


Earlier on March 2, 2015 CHESS invited tenders for Off-axis concave and convex parabolic mirrors.

The concave mirror is required to have a parent focal length of 2000mm and mirror diameter of 150mm, while the convex mirror is required to have a parent focal length of 200mm and a mirror diameter of 25mm.

In early July 2015, DRDO's IRDE (Instruments Research & Development Establishment), Dehradun invited tenders for supply of High Resolution thermal imager for CHESS platform.

The IRDE tender seeks a Thermal Imager based on Pelican-D 640x512 MWIR IDDCA with 14.5X zoom capability. The Imager is required to have recognition range capability of 5-km against a 1.5m x 3m UAV target.

IDDCA (Interleaved Double Dynamical Clustering Analysis) is a sampling algorithm based on clustering.

It appears that the imager being sought by IRDE would be used to aim a DEW developed by CHESS for use against UAVs.

Indian Navy's Interest in DEW

An HT report dated July 20, 2015 quoted a senior navy officer as saying that the Navy plans to develop and deploy high-energy lasers and high-power microwave weapons on Navy ships.

"The navy’s policy and plans wing has identified directed-energy weapons as a key long-term development project. We are sharpening focus on it,” said another officer familiar with the plan.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Writing to fulfill requirement of 30 characters.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Thanks to @proud_indian handling greenies somewhere else.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

30 char 30 char 30 char

 

[porky_kicker]

what will be the realistic gestation period for all these DEW tech
5-10 years?

 

[Indx TechStyle]

what will be the realistic gestation period for all these DEW tech
5-10 years?

Probably, US has already in operation, China is about to operationlize. By 2025-30, we could match both of them in military aspects(except Air Force).
So, this project can be proved a boon for our AF.

 

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[Indx TechStyle]

Above content ^^^^ got successfully posted without 30 character requirement.

 

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[porky_kicker]

do u have any latest info on air dropped laser guided bombs /programmes ?
and nice thread by the way

 

[Indx TechStyle]

So, 30 char rule is back again.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

do u have any latest info on air dropped laser guided bombs /programmes ?
and nice thread by the way

Sudarshan LGB or CLGM?


I was not missing this 30 character rule.