[Reading Science] The Era of Laser Beam Weapons Has Begun

Accurate at Low Cost... Faster Adoption
US Real Deployment Revealed Late
UK Development Timeline Moved Up
China and Russia Also Competing... Hanwha Aerospace Developing Too
Experts Say "More Progress Needed"

An experimental scene of the laser weapon 'Dragonfire' developed by the UK striking an anti-air target. Photo by UK Government

Lasers (LASER), which extend in a straight line, are used in various fields. Lasers are utilized in distance measurement, barcode recognition, surgery, raw material processing, and many other areas. Reading music from compact discs (CDs) also involves lasers. In 1960, Theodore Maiman, an American engineer and physicist, said he never imagined that the laser he developed for medical and industrial use would be called a "death ray." However, the imagination of lasers as weapons in movies and novels is now becoming a reality.

The military has long considered the possibility of using lasers as weapons. The scenes of ray guns or laser cannons frequently appearing in science fiction films have foreshadowed the use of lasers as weapons. Many defense contractors and military authorities worldwide have shown interest in developing laser weapons, and now, with actual deployment underway, the active role of laser weapons is anticipated. The time when lasers can replace bullets is also expected to come sooner.

The U.S. Army recently officially announced the deployment of laser weapons to U.S. forces stationed with allies to defend against enemy drone attacks. This marks the first time in history that laser attack weapons for air defense have been deployed. The laser weapons deployed in actual combat are already active on the battlefield. Although the U.S. Department of Defense did not disclose specific deployment locations, it is presumed that they have been deployed in the Middle East to defend Israel.

Weapon manufacturer BlueHalo publicly revealed that it has supplied the U.S. military with a laser weapon known as the Pallet High-Energy Laser (P-HEL). This weapon was developed based on a 20 kW laser weapon system. It was first deployed in an operation in November 2022, and a second system was deployed earlier this year.

A U.S. Army spokesperson said, "As part of ongoing efforts to ensure soldiers' safety and effectively support missions, we remain committed to testing and integrating advanced technologies such as directed-energy weapons (DEW)." Doug Bush, U.S. Army Deputy Secretary, stated, "Laser weapons are effective against specific threats," explaining that their utility on the battlefield has been proven.

Drone shootdown laser weapon developed by the American company BlueHalo. Photo by BlueHalo

In the past, lasers were mainly used in fields like missile guidance rather than as weapons themselves. The U.S. conducted research in the 1980s under the "Star Wars" concept to destroy enemy missiles in space using lasers, but it was a concept too advanced for its time. However, with technological advancements, interest in laser weapons has grown, such as the installation of laser cannons on naval vessels.

Recently, laser weapons have been optimized for defense in the changed battlefield environment dominated by drones and missiles. The characteristics of lasers, which have excellent straight-line properties, are well-suited for shooting down shells, missile warheads, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft.

The reason for weaponizing lasers can be found in cost. According to an analysis by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the cost of firing a laser weapon ranges from $1 to $10 per shot. This is as cheap as bullets and incomparable to shells or missiles that cost hundreds of millions of won. Laser weapons are prioritized for deployment against drone attacks because, although their destructive power is not as great as missiles, they offer high accuracy and can respond at a low cost. According to the British government, firing a laser weapon for 10 seconds uses the same amount of energy as operating a household portable heater for one hour.

Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, when timely supply of weapons has become difficult, interest in laser weapons has increased further. The UK has changed its plan to develop the 50 kW-class "Dragonfire" laser weapon by 2032 to installing it on naval vessels by 2027. Dragonfire has already succeeded in test firing.

The U.S. science media Wired reported that the U.S. has been researching laser weapons since the 1970s, and this recent deployment in actual combat is expected to be a turning point that accelerates the development and use of laser weapons by various countries. Israel is preparing "Iron Beam," a laser version of its existing missile defense system "Iron Dome," and the U.S. Congress has even passed a budget to support Iron Beam. Russia, China, France, India, and Turkey have also made massive investments in laser system development in recent years. Domestically, Hanwha Aerospace is developing laser weapons and is preparing for actual deployment.

Further development of laser weapons is also anticipated. The U.S. Department of Defense currently spends about $1 billion annually on directed-energy weapons and possesses 31 different systems at various development stages. Most of these are reported to be laser weapons.

Eric Kurilla, commander of the U.S. Central Command, testified before Congress, urging acceleration of the development of high-power microwave directed-energy weapons that can cover an area with strong electromagnetic radiation and disable multiple targets simultaneously.

However, James Black, director at the RAND Corporation, explained, "More development is needed to make directed-energy weapons more mobile, reliable, and affordable." This means that additional research is still necessary for lasers created by science to transform into "death rays."