AHEL.

This is coolbert:

Death ray from above! Or is it??

Airborne High Energy Laser. Mated to an AC-130 gunship. Consider this a prototype only!

"The AC-130J Gunship’s First Solid State Laser Weapon Has Arrived For Testing"

"The U.S. Air Force has taken delivery of the first prototype Airborne High Energy Laser, or AHEL, which is set to be flight tested on one of its AC-130J Ghostrider gunships next year. The service hopes to demonstrate the feasibility of adding this directed-energy weapon to the AC-130J’s already very diverse arsenal, which could give these aircraft a unique capability to engage ground targets"

Think not this AHEL a directed-energy weapon able to obliterate one-and-all targets from a distance. As reported by the Internet web site "Zero Hedge":

"The 60-kilowatt laser weapon doesn't have enough energy to punch a hole through a main battle tank or blow an enemy soldier to pieces, but rather it can melt ground-based satellite antennas and optical sensors."

Lot of pessimism regard the aviation version of the directed-energy weapon. Too much power required. Such systems will be strictly limited to large warplanes of the four engine type?

See previous blog entries the subject directed-energy weaponry:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/09/talws.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/07/zap-ii.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/06/hel-ii.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/05/pessimism.html

coolbert.