Laser-Based Countermeasures For Next-Generation Fighter Jets

The Northrop Grumman recently announced that the company will soon start working on a “directed energy system for self-protection”. The system will be then mounted over all present and upcoming generation aircrafts that come or will come under U.S. Air Force. In simple words, the Northrop Grumman along with the U.S. Air Force are looking forward to embed the fighter jets with some cool laser countermeasure systems. If you ever had the chance of watching the 1980s classic “Real Genius”, this project will feel to you like a native weapon developed on this planet to imitate the ambitious Crossbow laser weapon shown in the movie.

As Northrop Grumman likes to add that the project demands them to “develop and produce the beam portion of an airborne laser weapon demonstration system.” For now, they are called this system as Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHIELD). It is yet in its nascent stage of development. However, Northrop engineers did began to imagine the system bring placed in a pod attached with aircraft and possessing the ability to fire the weapons even when it is travelling at supersonic speeds.

Artist’s rendering of the SHiELD. (Image courtesy of Northrupp Grumman)

The weapon system will have several parts and Northrop will be contributing to it by designing the weapon’s beam control system that is one of its most essential parts. During flight, the beam control system will help the pilot in locating any kind of atmospheric disturbances that may influence the shape of laser beams. It will also help in obtaining tracking data for incoming threats and evaluate where the aiming point for neutralization of target needs to be, lastly, it will help shaping the beams as it moves out of the weapon in open air. The practical application and tests on these beams control systems is expected to be carried out somewhere by beginning of 2019.