This Company Is About To Complete The Development Of Two New Laser Weapon Demonstration Products

According to the latest news, Germany's MBDA is about to complete the development of two new laser weapon demonstrators (LWD).
Next year, the Laser Weapon Demonstrator (LWD) for naval and terrestrial applications is expected to be ready along with the land-based MILOS-D dismountable laser effector, which can be carried by a small number of soldiers or mounted on unmanned/manned ground vehicles.
These initiatives are being taken forward on the basis of the LWD roadmap that has been in place since 2008. According to this roadmap, proof of concept through demonstrations and first system studies, followed by development of key technologies in 2010 and validation of technology and system concepts/system demonstrations in 2016, were developed and tested by MBDA Deutschland in 2022 in operational environments for naval and land demonstrations.
These initiatives open the way for further size reductions, component miniaturization and new technology developments applied to the new Laser Weapon Demonstrator (LWD), which can form the basis for future capabilities.
Doris Laarman, Head of MBDA's Laser Activity in Germany, presented the latest developments in the field, stating, "If you ask when we expect to have laser-based combat weapon systems, my current answer is after 2027."
LWD 2024 Laser Weapon Demonstrator for Maritime/Ground Applications
The Laser Weapon Demonstrator version 2024, the successor to the high-energy laser naval demonstrator developed by MBDA and Rheinmetall, was recently tested on board the German Navy's Saxon frigate under the auspices of the Bundeswehr's Equipment, Information Technology and Active Support Office (BAAINBw). Based on the lessons learned from these development and test activities, and in preparation for the subsequent development contract phases of designing, manufacturing, and delivering an operational laser effector, MBDA is developing a modular, smaller footprint, more powerful, and better integrated Laser Weapon Demonstrator (LWD) system with company funding and demonstrated it during a visit to the Schrobenhausen site. system.
Doris Laarmann explains that although the Bundeswehr has not yet chosen a solution, "MBDA has been working on an integrated system module that can be mounted on a ship in place of a RAM launcher or a medium-caliber anti-aircraft gun." The LWD 2024 demonstrator consists of a newly designed turret based on the coaxial concept and a pedestal housing all electronics and equipment, except for power generation and energy storage provided by the ship's propulsion and power generation system.The LWD 2024 is expected to be less than a quarter of the size of the standard 20-foot container in which the laser effector was recently tested.An MBDA representative admitted during the tour that the entire system's mass is 6.5 tons. While power generation is derived from ship propulsion, the LWD can also be battery operated for naval and ground applications.
The LWD version 2024 turret is quite different from its predecessors because MBDA has developed a coaxial system in which the coarse tracking sensor suite (which includes the visual and thermal channels as well as the laser rangefinder) is mounted on top of the HEL/fine tracking aperture.The lasers of both the HEL and the tracking suite utilize the same aperture and the exact same path, thus ensuring overlap at all distances. By utilizing the laser energy more efficiently, the divergence angle of the illuminating laser can be significantly reduced, guaranteeing higher tracking distances.An MBDA representative explained, "In addition, the illuminator pulse energy has been increased from approximately 20 to 50 megajoules, raising the performance limit to 5 kilometers."
Meanwhile, the fine tracking sensor suite includes passive sensors for gate view processing, a solution that is under evaluation.MBDA has also developed an adaptive optics system that allows the system to compensate for weather conditions and minimize range reductions in critical situations, which has not yet been installed on the prototype seen at Schrobenhausen. Another key enhancement is the addition of a dedicated surveillance radar on the pedestal with a four fixed-face array that allows for a fully autonomous search-fire cycle from the combat system's sensor suite (LWD 2024 Command and Control Console, which requires fire control capabilities). This will ensure improved situational awareness and reduced response time to UAV swarm attacks.MBDA has selected a radar that meets the performance and cost-effectiveness requirements. While details of the HEL output power were not provided, it is understood that the initial iteration of the LWD 2024 suite is currently using a 3kW laser source to respond to small UAV targets up to 3km, with initial testing aimed at validating the performance and stability of the new tracking suite. However, depending on the type of target, as-yet-unannounced customer requirements may call for up to 200kW, as more powerful sources will be needed to counter more demanding threats, such as maritime targets and anti-ship weapon systems.
MILOS-D trekking laser effector
MBDA Germany recently completed trials of its disassembled laser effector demonstrator at the German Army's Meppen Proving Ground and is further developing the system to miniaturize components and reduce mass to meet customer requirements for land-based applications.
The German Army currently requires a range of laser effectors and MBDA has customized the MILOS (Modular Integrated Laser Optical System) family of systems. The system consists of a portable model (1.5kW), carried by one soldier; a MILOS- d disassembled version (5kW), transported by two or three soldiers and also capable of being used on UGVs; a remote/integrated model (20kW), operated on a vehicle or connected to the same vehicle from a deployed position. As well as a more powerful integrated version (60kW) that will be integrated into the vehicle.
Doris Laarman, a representative of the company, revealed, "We first looked at the detachable model for the requirement to engage with static targets such as materials, sensors, barbed wire and fences, as well as the portable version." The latter is a downgraded iteration of the detachable model. The company developed the first demonstrator of MILOS-D, with a 400W laser source and a mass of 25 kilograms, and conducted its first test last year. "Based on the results, the German Ministry of Defense funded an upgrade program to reduce the size, volume and mass of the system and increase the laser source output to 3kW with the same mass. we have been working on this for a year now, and last month we tested it at the German Army's Meppen Proving Ground, where it has already been used to engage a static point target at 120 meters and 420 meters, respectively Engagement.
MILOS-D consists of different components. More critical is the main lens for the laser beam output - the telescope, which has a plug on the back for connecting the fiber optic to the high power laser. the 3kW laser source and the battery are housed in two separate boxes. A targeting camera with an aiming line mounted on the telescope and adjusted to the parallax of the telescope's axis; the range of operating distances demonstrated in Meppen extends from 20 to 400 meters, and the system is capable of operating at longer ranges depending on the target.
The current model in the Schrobenhausen lab is still overweight as laboratory equipment. The laser source alone currently has a mass of 25 kilograms, but MBDA Germany has teamed up with another supplier who may be able to provide an 8-kilogram laser source with an output power of 3kW, which SWAP is also considering for other components. The telescope seen at the MILOS-D Technology Demonstrator can be connected to a laser with an output power of up to 10kW.