According to foreign media reports, Lockheed Martin and Dynetics developed a high-energy green laser pointer tactical vehicle (HEL TVD verification vehicle) received a US Army $ 10 million order. This is a low-cost, high-capacity threat weapon known as the new "mobile battlefield laser", the latest achievement in the United States' efforts to produce progressive, more powerful, and more accurate directed energy weapons.
Lockheed Martin said the contract was obtained after completing the system requirements review and technical update, and opened the green light for the preliminary design in January 2019. Under the terms of the contract, the new green laser pointer will be anchored under the Army's "Powerful Laser Project" (RELI). At the same time, Dynetics is responsible for integrating weapons into medium-sized tactical vehicles (FMTVs).
Foreign media pointed out that the green laser pointer used in this new type of weapon is a fiber-optic solid-state laser. It couples multiple beams into a single, more powerful single beam through a spectral beam combiner. The unit is equipped with an optical system for focusing the beam and compensating for atmospheric turbulence, an independent cooling system and an independent power supply. In addition, the technology originally developed for the US Army ATHENA System / ALADIN Laser, the US Air Force LANCE Program, and the US Navy HELIOS / HFEL System.
This new weapon system is expected to achieve full integration of mobile 100kW laser weapon systems and military FMTV trucks by 2022. In response to the increasingly severe enemy drone systems and rockets, artillery, and mortar attacks, the Army's HEL TVD project is a key component in achieving this potential. This new type of weapon has a very low cost of single launch and is therefore well suited as a complement to existing kinetic weapons.