The Army’s Menacing Laser Weapon Has Finally Beamed to the Battlefield
U.S. forces in Iraq now have futuristic firepower at their fingertips to counter aerial threats. The U.S. Army has deployed its first operational laser weapon system to Iraq. Three Stryker infantry combat vehicles armed with 50 kilowatt lasers, known as DE M-SHORADS, have been deployed in response to lethal drone strikes on U.S. personnel. The brand-new systems were only delivered to the service last September. Air Defense Laserlaser According to Army Times , head of U.S. Central Command General Michael Kurilla told Congress that three of the DE M-SHORADS systems are in Iraq “right now” and are being used in “experiments” to “identify their best application.” Army Times further reported that Kurilla “did not disclose preliminary results.” DE M-SHORADS stands for Directed Energy Maneuver Short Range Air Defense Systems. Developed by RTX (formerly Raytheon) they combine a 50 kilowatt laser weapon with the armored chassis of a Stryker infantry combat vehicle . The laser is oriente