Pentagon görev gücü, insansız hava araçlarına karşı lazer testi yapacak

Pentagon's Joint Interagency Task Force 401 is preparing to test a high-energy laser system against drones at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico this weekend. U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, the director of JIATF-401, emphasized the collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other partners to ensure the safety and effectiveness of these advanced capabilities, which aim to protect Americans from emerging drone threats. He stated, “Our measure of success is to quickly deliver state-of-the-art C-UAS capability to the warfighter, and this test furthers that mission.” The specific laser system being tested has not been disclosed. The FAA is partnering in the test to address safety concerns regarding lasers and to collect data on eye safety for aircrews and potential impacts on aircraft during tests using surrogate models. The trials will also evaluate the automatic safety shut-off functions of the laser systems. The focus of the test will be on demonstrating the built-in safety features and training protocols to ensure operators can use the systems securely and effectively. The laser will target various objects. High-energy laser systems, produced by several leading defense contractors, employ a "soft kill" method to neutralize small drones using photons, or light particles. These concentrated beams track small unmanned aircraft and disable them with focused rays, eliminating the need for munitions. This test is part of a growing trend to integrate laser weapons into military operations. Last year, the U.S. Army issued a Request for Information to acquire up to 20 high-energy laser weapons designed to target three different classes of drones. This initiative followed a successful test in which the U.S. Navy's Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Preble used a high-energy laser weapon against a drone during an exercise.