The U.S. Navy is set to deploy its first laser weapon this summer, and hopes to add electromagnetic rail guns to its arsenal by 2016, according to a new report.
The Laser Weapon System looks like a modern white cannon, and is set to be deployed on the USS Ponce, which will be stationed in the Middle East. It's designed to fire invisible beams of infrared energy that can burn through drones and smaller boats, all of which could threaten U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf. Rail guns will be capable of taking out larger targets, such as warships, and the U.S. Navy wants to use both weapons because they're cost-effective.
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Unlike bullets, lasers never run out, and they're much cheaper than conventional ammunition. Using rail guns is also less expensive than using regular missiles because operating them only requires electricity and a small projectile. Here's how they work: Users place a projectile on two parallel conducting rails, which harness an electric charge to accelerate the projectile, and send it toward a target at six to seven times the speed of sound. A 7-pound projectile flying that fast can do catastrophic damage. What's more, the U.S. Navy can make these projectiles for much less than typical navy missiles, the latter of which can cost around $1 million each.
Neither futuristic war machine is without faults, though, according to the Associated Press. Laser beams aren't that effective if the air is dusty, cloudy or if it's raining outside. While bad weather doesn't render them useless, soldiers need other weapons around in case a storm rolls through.
Rail guns are cheap because they fire projectiles with electricity, but they need a lot of juice to get something moving seven times the speed of sound. The U.S. Navy only has one ship under construction that can handle that much energy. The USS Zumwalt is being put together in Maine, and by the time it's ready to go, the ship will pack 78 megawatts of power — enough to light up a medium-sized city. However, U.S. Navy engineers will have to build electricity storage units for vessels that are already in action if those ships want to have a rail gun of their own.
Despite their faults, the U.S. Navy doesn't plan to halt the development of laser weapons or rail guns. Officials have said they hope lasers will soon be able to target more powerful combatants, such as enemy warships. They've also said the cost-effectiveness of both weapons is beneficial in a time when the military's budget is declining.
The U.S. Navy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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