Boeing’s new mobile laser gun system, commonly known as Compact Laser Weapon System, successfully tested at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. During a field test of the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, CLWS successfully defended a force protection convoy against unmanned aerial systems while mounted on a small Utility Task Vehicle. Once implemented, the system will enable everything from autonomous systems and piloted aircraft to ground vehicles and troops to share information via a cloud-based network to detect and respond to threats faster and more efficiently.
“The ABMS exercise is further proof of Boeing’s combat-ready capabilities,” said Robert Green, director of Integrated Air and Missile Defense. “Military operators continue to have great success with our systems with only minimal training.”
“In a future scenario, an integrated and networked direct energy capability – as demonstrated in this exercise by CLWS – would provide operators with vital information and a means to respond to threats at greater speeds,” said Ron Dauk, program manager of Boeing’s Laser & Electro-Optical Systems.
CLWS contains an integrated counter-Unmanned Aerial System package, including a radar system for detection and a high-resolution sensor system for target identification and aimpoint selection. For ground-based applications, the weapon can be mounted on a wheeled platform or placed on a tripod and on top of its corresponding military container, which houses the electric power and cooling subsystems or mounted at the wheeled platform.The full laser weapon system, including the command-and-control and fire control components, are packed into a small shipping container. The CLWS is already part of the Army’s Mobile Expeditionary High Energy Laser program.
Throughout the exercise, CLWS transmitted live video and readings on the threats, as well as various elements of the convoy, to operators at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland – providing them with both real-time situational awareness and remote operating capabilities. During the scenario, CLWS received a target cue through the network and defeated a simulated unmanned aircraft vehicle. Boeing is well-positioned to serve as a key industry partner for the U.S. Air Force in directed energy and on the future battlefield. As part of its efforts to accelerate the integration of new technologies to implement ABMS, the Air Force awarded Boeing a development contract in June to compete for individual task orders through 2025.
