According to US media reports, Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company, recently announced that its compact laser weapon system has recently completed a series of key demonstrations in cooperation with the US Air Force and the Army. The latest news shows that the CLWS weapon with a power of 5 kilowatts has successfully completed several operational capability demonstrations, verifying that it is ready for actual combat deployment. Test operators use controllers similar to gamepads to lock and track small UAV targets, and make them malfunction by launching laser pointer. The system operator used a system fixed in a standard container and successfully destroyed about 30 targets for the first operation.
The Boeing project manager said: "We have received a lot of feedback about the system's ease of use, maturity, and its seamless integration into the command and control network. In the past year, Boeing has reported to the military at five test sites The personnel demonstrated their capabilities. They successfully destroyed hundreds of drones with a very high success rate." It is reported that the system contains an integrated anti-drone system component, including radar systems for detection and target recognition/selection High-resolution sensor system. During the MFIX exercise, the system successfully completed the interception operation with the help of the target verification service provided by its "Turn Prompt" function. This function allows the radar sensor to tell the imaging system where the target is and to fight it (fire laser).
In addition, two other high-energy laser weapons originally developed and delivered by Boeing were successfully demonstrated, including the mobile expedition high-energy laser installed on the platform by the US Army and the large-caliber, high-power Army high-energy laser mobile test vehicle.
Boeing’s Laser and Optoelectronics System Project Manager said, “Boeing’s continued development of a series of high-energy green laser pointer weapons ranging from compact laser weapon systems to high-power tactical-level systems is proof of the gradual maturity of this technology area. The system has been verified and is ready to provide today's combatants with anti-drone systems to enhance the protection of troops." In 2018, Boeing delivered multiple system prototypes to the US Department of Defense customers. As part of the limited user evaluation, these systems have been deployed overseas for nearly 6 months.