Raytheon Pairs Laser Weapon with NASAMS Air Defense System

One of the advanced technologies Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RI&S) is promoting at this year's AUSA Annual Meeting and exhibition is their High-Energy Laser Weapon Systems (HELWS) program. Since Raytheon deployed its first HELWS in 2019, the systems have completed approximately 400 kills, logged more than 25,000 operational hours, and successfully defeated multiple 60mm mortar bombs.
Earlier this year, RI&S, a Raytheon Technologies business, demonstrated that their High Energy Laser Weapon System can pair with the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), to stop unmanned aircraft threats. During the live-fire exercise, the HELWS received cues from the NASAMS Fire Distribution Center and used automated target cueing and a full spectrum of electro-optical/infrared sensors to track, identify and quickly take down drones at tactically relevant distances. The HELWS took down nine Group 1 and Group 2 drones over the White Sands Missile Range.
“Drone threats are particularly dangerous in any environment – from soccer stadiums to battlefields – because they’re not easy to spot and take down,” said Annabel Flores, president of Electronic Warfare Systems for RI&S. “We’re showing the world that our defensive laser weapons can plug into existing air defenses to find and drop drones in the blink of an eye.”
Representatives from multiple U.S. military and civilian agencies, as well as international ministries of defense, attended the demonstration at the White Sands Missile Range to see how the HELWS is readily interoperable with existing command and control systems. The NASAMS medium-range air defense solution, co-developed by Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, consists of the Sentinel radar, Fire Distribution Center, and a suite of effectors. The demonstration showcased the ability to integrate a counter-unmanned aircraft systems solution with NASAMS, adding to its interoperability and medium-range air defense capabilities for a layered defense.
By adding NASAMS to the list of sensors, effectors, and command and control systems the HELWS already works with, Raytheon Technologies can provide end users maximum flexibility to engage unmanned aircraft threats as part of an integrated air defense.
RI&S’ laser weapon systems, built in McKinney, Texas, work on land, in the air and at sea, providing 360-degree coverage that can protect bases, airports, stadiums and other high-value military or civilian assets. Open architecture, scalable power, and ruggedized design easily adapt to the demands of the mission. As RI&S experts will illustrate for attendees who visit their booth (#2304) at AUSA, HELWS can be used as a standalone system or rapidly installed on a variety of platforms.
Top Stories
INSIDERRF & Microwave Electronics
University of Rochester Lab Creates New 'Reddmatter' Superconductivity Material...
INSIDERElectronics & Computers
MIT Report Finds US Lead in Advanced Computing is Almost Gone - Mobility...
INSIDERAerospace
Airbus Starts Testing Autonomous Landing, Taxi Assistance on A350 DragonFly...
INSIDERSensors/Data Acquisition
Boeing to Develop Two New E-7 Variants for US Air Force - Mobility Engineering...
INSIDERAerospace
PAC-3 Missile Successfully Intercepts Cruise Missile Target - Mobility...
INSIDERUnmanned Systems
Air Force Pioneers the Future of Synthetic Jet Fuel - Mobility Engineering...
Webcasts
Sensors/Data Acquisition
Driver-Monitoring: A New Era for Advancements in Sensor Technology
Manufacturing & Prototyping
Tailoring Additive Manufacturing to Your Needs: Strategies for...
Automotive
How to Achieve Seamless Deployment of Level 3 Virtual ECUs for...
Photonics/Optics
Specifying Laser Modules for Optimized System Performance
Electronics & Computers
Leveraging Machine Learning in CAE to Reduce Prototype Simulation and Testing
Medical
Trending Stories
INSIDERElectronics & Computers
MIT Report Finds US Lead in Advanced Computing is Almost Gone