NGC Delivers 1st Production-Line JHPSSL to USAF Research Laboratory
(Redondo Beach, Calif., September 29, 2008) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has delivered a compact, standalone, 15kW high-power, solid-state laser developed for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
Called Vesta II, the laser was a sole source add-on to the Joint High Power Solid State Laser (JHPSSL) program contract and leverages Northrop Grumman's scalable technology architecture.
The transportable, push-button laser is a reproducible product that takes advantage of compactness to broaden the potential range of uses by military services. The reduced size, long run time, high beam quality and power level allow for a wide range of use, compared with other military lasers being developed. The modular design enables manufacturing repeatability at Northrop Grumman's laser factory, in turn enhancing reliability and affordability.
"Vesta II is a unique, compact, high-power laser available for laboratory use as a testing device for lethality, atmospheric propagation, long-range imaging and laser weapon applications," said Dan Wildt, vice president of Directed Energy Systems for Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector. The U.S. military has set a power level goal of 100kW to shoot down rockets, missiles, artillery and mortars, by comparison.
"By 'scaling down' the overall architecture of solid-state laser weapons into more compact, easy-to-use systems, we have taken a very large step toward making them more rugged and easier to field," Wildt added.
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