U.S. Navy Tests Drone-Killing ‘Super Laser’ in the Persian Gulf

U.S. Naval officers have started testing a “super laser” in the Persian Gulf with the ability to shoot down a drone at the speed of light.

Naval officers told the Daily Mail that the laser, estimated to cost about $30 million and contain 30kW of power, is “more precise than a bullet.”

Military officials have been testing the laser weapons system (LaWS) aboard the USS Ponce, an amphibious transport vessel, and predict that the laser will be combat-ready by 2020.

“It is more precise than a bullet,” Chris Wells, captain of the USS Ponce, told CNN. “This is a very versatile weapon, it can be used against a variety of targets.”

The LaWS can move 50,000 times faster than an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Naval officers testing the weapon say they use aerial drones as practice targets to see how the LaWS can zoom in on the target before firing away.

Once the laser identifies the drone target, the vehicle’s temperature rises to more than 1,000°F (537°C) before it explodes.

“It operates in an invisible part of the electromagnetic spectrum so you don’t see the beam, it doesn’t make any sound, it’s completely silent and it’s incredibly effective at what it does,” said Lt. Cale Hughes, a laser weapons system officer.

The laser would not only be capable of shooting down drones but would also have the ability to fire at aircraft and small boats.

Defense contractors announced in April that they are working with the Pentagon to develop prototypes of laser weapons systems that would be deployed on combat vehicles and aircraft.