General Atomics 150KW Laser

[GunnyGene]

GA is working on a 150kw laser they plan on mounting on their Avenger drones. 150kw doesn't sound like much, but it's hot enough to punch a hole in a tank.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., or GA-ASI, the San Diego-based company that makes the Predator and Reaper drones, is undertaking a privately funded study to integrate a 150-kilowatt solid-state laser onto its Avenger (née Predator-C) drone. If the company succeeds, a drone with a high-energy laser will be a reality at some point in 2017, company executives told Defense One.

“We’re funded right now to develop a laser module compatible with the aircraft and study putting it on the Avenger,” Michael Perry, Vice President for Mission Systems at GA-ASI, told Defense One. “We hope to be funded to do that,” he said.

The company is far better known for its MQ-1s and MQ-9s — the backbones of the Pentagon’s drone strike force — than for its work with lasers. But in June, the company delivered a 150-kilowatt liquid laser to the Pentagon for extensive testing at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. For comparison, the 30 kw laser (output) currently on the Ponce in the Persian Gulf has more than enough output to destroy an enemy drone or blow a hole in a boat.

http://www.defenseone.com/technology/2015/09/drones-armed-high-energy-lasers-may-arrive-2017/121583/?oref=d-river

 

[gramps]

At what range? How big will that laser be? And how much will the power supply weigh? They may have to beef up the drone and its engines.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Energy_Liquid_Laser_Area_Defense_System
gramps

Edited to add article

 

[Jeepnik]

Cool, a silent way to take out terrorist leaders. No noise, little smoke and a hole right in the top of their head. Or at the very least hit the gas tank of the vehicle they're in and cremate them.

 

[GunnyGene]

Cool, a silent way to take out terrorist leaders. No noise, little smoke and a hole right in the top of their head. Or at the very least hit the gas tank of the vehicle they're in and cremate them.

A 150kw laser wouldn't need to hit the gas tank. It would blow a 2 - 3 foot wide hole clean thru the car and everything in it.