THE next weapon in the US army鈥檚 arsenal could be a laser-guided microwave blaster designed to destroy explosives.
The weapon, called the Multimode Directed Energy Armament System, uses a high-power laser to ionise the air, creating a plasma channel that acts as a waveguide for the stream of microwaves. The device could destroy the electronic fuse of an explosive device or missile, such as a roadside bomb, or immobilise a vehicle by disabling its ignition system.
鈥淭he weapon uses a high-power laser to ionise the air, creating a plasma channel鈥�
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Further work on the weapon, being developed by the US army鈥檚 Armament Research, Development and Engineering Centre (ARDEC) at the in New Jersey, could also allow it to be used against people, delivering electric shocks, though Picatinny spokesman Peter Rowland says: 鈥渢he focus of this programme is on developing a mobile system for anti-materiel purposes鈥�.
The weapon鈥檚 range will depend on the laser-generated channel. Previously such channels have been limited to tens of metres, but the ARDEC team believe it may be possible to extend this to a kilometre or more. 鈥淭he concept is solid and the only issues are with engineering 鈥� the physics works,鈥� says Carlo Kopp, who researches electromagnetic pulse weapons at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
The army expects to have a prototype weapon working outside the lab by 2011.
