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Tactical High Energy Laser
Twenty-First Century Air Defense
The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command is working on a new active defense weapon system concept to enhance protection for combat forces and theater-level assets for the Force XXI Army. The mobile Tactical High Energy Laser, or THEL, weapon system would provide an innovative solution for the acquisition and close-in engagement problems associated with "dumb munitions" — a primary concern because counter-battery fire may not be an option in densely populated areas.
For several years, U.S. Army SMDC has pursued development of a mobile, tactical high energy laser concept that could provide new air and missile defense capability. Numerous Department of Defense high energy laser development programs over the last 20 years have proven and demonstrated the beam generation and beam pointing technologies that support the THEL concept. Force XXI advancements in the area of real-time situational awareness now make it possible to capitalize on the prime attributes of a THEL in operational scenarios.
A THEL will be able to fire with speed-of-light flyout for close-in engagements where time lines are very short. Cost will run only a few thousand dollars per kill or less, with a deep magazine to counter saturation attacks. Not only can a THEL weapon system destroy a target, but it can also degrade, disrupt, or damage. This enhances operational flexibility and effectiveness against a wide variety of air threats. A THEL system would enhance the effectiveness of the short- to medium-range air defense architecture.
Demonstrated Effectiveness
The effectiveness of high energy lasers against short-range rockets was tested and demonstrated in the Nautilus program, an outgrowth of Project Strong Safety, in collaboration with Israel. The program was conducted primarily at U.S. Army SMDC’s High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. Nautilus used only a fraction of the power of the HELSTF Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser to emulate the THEL weapon concept performance.
The MIRACL is a megawatt-class, deuterium fluoride, chemical laser operating at HELSTF since the early 1980s. After a series of static and dynamic tests, the program successfully destroyed a short-range rocket in flight on Feb. 9, 1996. This success triggered a joint THEL development effort with Israel.
THEL Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrator
In April 1996, the then Prime Minister of Israel, Shimon Peres, met with President Clinton and then Secretary of Defense Perry. During the meeting, the U.S. made a commitment to assist Israel in the development of a THEL Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrator laser to help Israel defend its northern cities from the threat posed by Katyusha and other short-range rockets.
In July 1996, a contract was awarded by U.S. Army SMDC to TRW, Inc., of Redondo Beach, Calif., for the design, development, and fabrication of the THEL demonstrator which will be a transportable, tactical-sized, deuterium fluoride, chemical laser. The effort includes development and testing of the laser/fluid supply assembly; the pointer/tracker; a command, control, communications and fire control system; modification of and interface with a radar provided by Israel; limited aspects of support equipment; and field testing in the U.S.
Over the last two years, the system has been designed and built and subsystem testing has been initiated. Plans call for 12-18 months of field testing both in the U.S. and Israel. The THEL demonstrator will provide the first opportunity to assess the utility of high energy lasers in an operational scenario.
Future Development
If successful, the demonstrator may pave the way for future development of a THEL User Operational Evaluation System for use in U.S. peace keeping/contingency operations. The U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Bliss, Texas, officially designated as the proponent for THEL by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, will develop a mission need statement and an operational requirements statement for the initial THEL configuration.
Evolving high energy laser, beam control, and digital battlefield information technologies promise to combine to form a highly effective THEL weapons system for Force XXI air defense.
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