Lockheed Martin has activated a 50-kilowatt high-energy laser designed for ground forces air defense, a key developmental milestone in the company's prototype design of a directed energy weapon for the Army's Stryker vehicle and an important step toward giving the government a viable alternative for a planned competition against incumbent Raytheon. On Jan. 13, the company “achieved first light” from the Directed Energy Interceptor for Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense System, an event designed to measure the laser’s optical performance against...
