US military plans to deploy fighter jets with laser weapons from 2020

Fighter planes firing lasers at each other, does that sound like Star Wars? However, if it is up to the US military, this will become a reality from 2020 onwards. The laser systems should be able to destroy, among other things, missiles, drones and even entire aircraft.

The plans were unfolded at the so-called Air Force Association Air & Space conference held this week. During a presentation, Air Force Chief Herbert Carlisle indicated that laser systems should be mounted on fighter planes within five years, Ars Technica reports. Lasers have been tested for some time now, so it seems to be going well for the time being. Lasers could be used, among other things, to destroy incoming missiles, or to shoot drones out of the sky. Powerful lasers could even be used to destroy enemy planes in aerial combat.

Among other things, tests have been going on for some time with a system with a capacity of more than 150 kilowatts, under the name Hellads. That would be more than enough for most targets. Systems that require less energy are also tested. For the development, the military research branch Darpa is working together with the company General Atomics.

The idea is reminiscent of a laser weapon recently deployed by the US Navy. Incidentally, the Chinese army is also developing laser weapons. Its main purpose is to shoot drones out of the sky.