Integrated machine-gun laser results from Boeing and BAE partnership

Aug. 1, 2011
Albuquerque, NM--Boeing signed a teaming agreement with BAE Systems to develop a joint machine-gun system with a solid-state laser weapon.

Albuquerque, NM--The Directed Energy Systems (DES) division of Boeing [NYSE: BA] signed a teaming agreement with BAE Systems (Arlington, VA) to develop the Mk 38 Mod 2 Tactical Laser System for kinetic and laser defense of U.S. Navy ships; Boeing is a subcontractor to BAE Systems under this contract. The Mk 38 Mod 2 Tactical Laser System couples a solid-state high-energy laser weapon module with the operational Mk 38 Machine Gun System, bringing high-precision accuracy against surface and air targets such as small boats and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and delivering different levels of laser energy, depending on the target and mission objectives.

Boeing and BAE Systems have been working together for the past two years to develop this capability. In 2010, Boeing DES conducted two experiments in the field to demonstrate the system's ability to track surface targets and maintain a laser aimpoint with high precision.

Boeing says that the Mk 38 Mod 2 Tactical Laser System project unites Albuquerque-based Boeing DESthe industry leader in directed energy and acquisition, pointing and tracking systemswith BAE Systems, a leading designer and supplier of major shipboard armaments to the U.S. Navy. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 65,000 employees worldwide.

SOURCE: Boeing; http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1854

About the Author

Gail Overton | Senior Editor (2004-2020)

Gail has more than 30 years of engineering, marketing, product management, and editorial experience in the photonics and optical communications industry. Before joining the staff at Laser Focus World in 2004, she held many product management and product marketing roles in the fiber-optics industry, most notably at Hughes (El Segundo, CA), GTE Labs (Waltham, MA), Corning (Corning, NY), Photon Kinetics (Beaverton, OR), and Newport Corporation (Irvine, CA). During her marketing career, Gail published articles in WDM Solutions and Sensors magazine and traveled internationally to conduct product and sales training. Gail received her BS degree in physics, with an emphasis in optics, from San Diego State University in San Diego, CA in May 1986.

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