The Military Is Mounting Laser Weapons on Tanks

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The Military Is Mounting Laser Weapons on Tanks
By: Dan Robitzski / Futurism - 4/1/19
RE: https://futurism.com/military-mounti...weapons-tanks/

The laser system can autonomously track targets and jam drone communications.

Laser Tank

The U.S. Army is developing tanks and drones armed with laser weapons. The Army’s stock of armored Stryker tanks may soon get a laser cannon upgrade, as well as the capability to launch “hunter-killer” drones, according to Defense Maven.

The laser-equipped vehicles and drones would be able to autonomously target, track, and disable targets with invisible lasers, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in militaries around the world — a futuristic upgrade to the U.S. military’s ground combat capabilities.

Drone Hunting

The laser weapon is expected to be combat-ready within the next few years — the army has successfully used it to target and shoot down drones during tests. It’s also been able to successfully disrupt communications and block drones’ signals, Defense Maven writes.

Congress wants these lasers to speed up the process of warfare and combat, giving the U.S. military the edge it needs to beat its enemies to the draw.

“[Directed energy] weapons have the potential to change the very nature of warfare,” reads a February report from the Congressional Research Service. The report also said the laser systems “could be used as both a sensor and a weapon, thereby shortening the sensor-to-shooter timeline to seconds. This means that U.S. weapon systems could conduct multiple engagements against a target before an adversary could respond.”

Tactical Deployment

General Dynamics Land Systems, the company behind the Stryker and its new lasers, told Defense Maven that the lasers may be suitable for crowded areas, where they could detect and target threats.

“It will go out in an urban environment and it will sense and find your shooter or incoming RPG,” said General Dynamics Land Systems’ Michael Peck.

But for now, the Army will continue testing its new lasers to make sure that they’re ready to be deployed in the next few years.

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More bad news about this Pearl Harbor memorial
By: The Associated Press
RE: https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-..._source=clavis

Photo link: https://www.armytimes.com/resizer/bC...N2WZ4YFC5I.jpg
In this 2016 photo, the USS Arizona Memorial, part of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, is seen at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii

HONOLULU — Repairs to the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor are expected to keep the dock closed through the summer.

The National Park Service has awarded a $2.1 million contract for repairs that are expected to be completed in time for the next Dec. 7, 1941, remembrance service, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Thursday.

The repairs to the Honolulu landmark should be finished "by fall," but that means there will be no walk-on visitation at the Arizona memorial during the summer, according to park officials. They said they are not sure exactly when full public access will be restored.

Several deadlines to reopen the memorial have passed since visitation was suspended in May 2018. After previously estimating the memorial could reopen by Dec. 7, 2018, the target was pushed to the end of this month, but officials recently said that deadline would also not be met, according to the newspaper.

Staff initially discovered minor damage to the exterior concrete of the memorial and conducted repairs, but the damage reappeared. Further inspection revealed the damage stemmed from a malfunction in the dock's anchoring system, which officials said allowed too much lateral movement by the 105-foot (32-meter) floating concrete structure, the newspaper reported.

The park’s website and social media sites will provide updated information on the project’s timeline and any planned interruptions, officials said.

The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center will remain open.

Officials said visitors can still access partner sites including the Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park.

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Personal note:

I can't remember the exact date I think it was back in 64 our ship just left Long Beach and stopped in Hawaii for a couple days. During that time most of our crew decided to take the tour. We went to see the Pearl Harbor Memorial. I can only assume the hell they went thru back then and the shock of being attacked.

One of our crew members (we called him - Pineapple) yes - he was from Hawaii. He also had his family living there and they showed us around the island. We left about 5 days later and went on station off the coast of VN. During that time Pineapple was blown off the deck and lost at sea. This was very difficult for our division and more so for his family. He's gone but not forgotten. May he rest in peace.

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