Technology

U.S. Navy Breaks Scientific Barriers With ‘Death Ray of the Future’ Laser Weapon

U.S. Navy Breaks Scientific Barriers With Death Ray of the Future Laser Weapon

In their work toward developing the newest technology for tracking and destroying enemy missiles, scientists at Jefferson Labs recently pumped an astonishing 500 kilovolts into their latest creation, the free-electron laser (FEL) — a power level never achieved before.

“This is very significant,” Quentin Saulter, the program’s manager said. Now, the Navy “can speed up the transition of FEL-weapons-system technology” from a lab in Virginia to its ships on the high seas, Wired reports.

The new technology will allow the Navy to utilize the powerful “death ray” to burn up incoming missiles or punch holes in an enemy vessel’s hull.

“Five hundred [kilovolts] has been the project goal for a long time,” says George Neil, the FEL associate director at Jefferson Labs. “The injector area is one of the critical areas.”

The free-electron laser is one the U.S. Navy’s highest-priority weapons programs. The future of weaponry rests in “fighting at the speed of light and hypersonics,” says Rear Adm. Nevin Carr, the Navy’s chief of research. “We’re fast approaching the limits of our ability to hit maneuvering pieces of metal in the sky with other maneuvering pieces of metal.”

Though the Navy estimates the FEL won’t be mounted on ships until the 2020s, the recent energy advancements mark a significant milestone.

Wired offers the nerdy details:

Excite certain kinds of atoms, and light particles — photons — radiate out. Reflect that light back into the excited atoms, and more photons appear. But unlike a lightbulb, which glows in every direction, this second batch of photons travels only in one direction, and in a single color, or wavelength. Which slice of the spectrum depends on the “gain medium” — the type of atoms — you use to generate the beam. But the free-electron laser is unique: It doesn’t use a medium, just supercharged electrons run through a racetrack of superconductors and magnets — an accelerator, to be technical — until it produces a beam that can operate on multiple wavelengths.

That means the beam from the free-electron laser won’t lose potency as it runs through all the crud in ocean air, because its operators will be able to adjust its wavelengths to compensate. And if you want to make it more powerful, all you need to do is add electrons.

But to add electrons, you need to inject pressure into your power source, so the electrons shake out and run through the racetrack. That’s done through a gun called an injector. In the basement of a building in Jefferson Labs, a 240-foot racetrack uses a 300-kilovolt injector to pressurize the electrons out of 200 kilowatts of power and send them shooting through the accelerator.

Translation: that’s one powerful beam.  Right now, the Navy’s FEL is the most powerful beam in the world, able to cut through 20 feet of solid steel every second.

Think that’s impressive?  If the Navy reaches its ultimate goal — one megawatt of laser power — the weapon will be able to burn through 2,000 feet of steel per second.  Yowza.

Because of the work being done at places like Jefferson Labs, the Navy is now one big step closer.

Comments (166)

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  • Rob_M
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:22pm

    I‘m surprised Obama didn’t defund this already.

    Report Post » Rob_M  
  • GWSchool.Net
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:19pm

    I want one!

    Report Post » GWSchool.Net  
    • VRW Conspirator
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 10:42am

      Me too…

      All you think about it Doctor Evil and his speech about mounting a “laser” on the moon and calling it the “Death Star”…. or sharks with lasers on their heads and the ill tempered sea bass…

      I am going to build a torret on my roof right now to mount this on so I can defend my castle from invaders… LOL

      Report Post » VRW Conspirator  
    • dawghowse
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 11:39pm

      Me too, it turns my target rifle into a club!

      Report Post » dawghowse  
  • reckless
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:14pm

    That’s alot of burnt popcorn!

    Report Post »  
  • amerbur
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:12pm

    Technology is always a double edged sword. This power in the hands of man ….. Let us pray.

    Report Post »  
    • lel2007
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 7:51am

      Let us pray the damn thing works as advertised.
      Praise The Lord, and pass the electrons !

      Report Post » lel2007  
  • Bigliardi
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:12pm

    Now, when the Chinese fire their Aircraft Killer Weapon at our greatest Aircraft Carrier, the USS Ronaldus Magnus Reagan, The Laser, with a muzzle velocity of 286,000 miles per second their puny little weapon can be acquired, tracked, and destroyed just as it clears the launch tube…

    Report Post »  
  • Bigliardi
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:06pm

    Incredible….Destruction at the speed of light….No need to add lead or superelevation, to the firing solution….Just aim and squeeze whatever is designated as the trigger…

    Report Post »  
  • EZDOZIT
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:05pm

    We would be 30 years behide on this technology if the democrats would have gotten their way. They also have been saying for about 30 years it well take 5 to 10 years to get any benefit’s from drilling for our own oil.I think we better start drilling now. If this country fails,it will be the democrats fault. Why does anyone listen to these adolescents? Reagan Rocked!

    Report Post »  
  • TheRealElvis
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:05pm

    Why did they have to name it the “free electron laser”? We all know it isprobably why we are 14 trillion in debt.
    They should have named it the “trillion dollar electron laser”.

    Report Post »  
    • lel2007
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 7:48am

      When you have to walk through the Valley of Death how much will you pay for the Big Stick you’ll carry?

      Report Post » lel2007  
  • p-squared
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:58pm

    The world is indeed lucky that we are a peace-loving nation. Imagine a fleet in 2025 armed with these weapons – who could stop them?

    Report Post »  
  • butchcoolidge
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:56pm

    Did you notice it was shown only on a carrier? could it be the new carriers are the only ships with reactors big enough to power up this puppy?

    Report Post »  
    • lel2007
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 7:44am

      No. Carriers are the prime target of China’s latest missile.

      Report Post » lel2007  
  • etetetet
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:55pm

    Blaze is not working correctly tonight. Either BROKER0101 did some hacking, somebody used his/her ID to do some hacking, or the Blaze just installed Windows 7.

    Report Post »  
  • miles from nowhere
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:52pm

    Obama will find a way to get this tech to his Muslim Brotherhood buddies, just like Bill Clinton gave the super computer to the chinese so they can build ballistic missles.

    Report Post »  
    • I-HATE-THE-WORD-DISENFRANCHISE
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 12:23am

      I thought they got that tec. when he sent our spy satelites over there to be launched. Of curse who would have foreseen them looking under the hood.

      Report Post »  
  • Rob@AmPre
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:49pm

    Glenn Beck told us you would say that.

    Report Post »  
    • Rob@AmPre
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:54pm

      That was supposed to be a reply toBroker :( sarcasm loses its luster when left to stand alone

      Report Post »  
    • Showtime
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:00pm

      “Aw, hay-ul ~ I just hate it when that happens!”

      Report Post » Showtime  
  • Rickfromillinois
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:46pm

    When they get so that they can produce one megawatt I want one for deer hunting. You can shoot and cook it at the same time! Sweet.

    Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
    • etetetet
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:49pm

      Burn the hair right off too – as we say in the military – MRE – Meals Ready to Eat – cool. Better than a microwave.

      Report Post »  
  • Fulksie
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:43pm

    Reagan’s Star Wars Lives!

    Report Post »  
  • Showtime
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:43pm

    Go, NAVY! I just hope that Jefferson Labs is not attacked by terrorists.

    Report Post » Showtime  
  • franknshadow
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:42pm

    So we’re gonna melt Iran right?? Shouldn’t we, in the interests of fairness, make sure all countries get one of these?? I mean, we are sorry for being arrogant aren’t we?

    Report Post » PrfctlyFrank  
    • Showtime
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:54pm

      Don’t give anybody any ideas. O&Co are bad enough already.

      Report Post » Showtime  
  • etetetet
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:41pm

    Blaze – already sent you a report –
    Either BROKER0101 is acting like a child again, or he/she is damn good software coder, hacked your site, and has the same message installed as soon as a story pops up and installs the subject of the story. Either way, please remove BROKER0101 froom the Blaze – thank you
    I’m sure other Blazers will chime in

    Report Post »  
    • Showtime
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:50pm

      Didn’t know that you had come over here. Left you a comment at the previous story about it.

      Report Post » Showtime  
    • TruthTalker
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:50pm

      no programming involve. All she does is sits in a basement and refreshes the page every 15 seconds. Probably paid $1 each time she puts up a message first, from Spooky Dude.

      Report Post »  
    • Showtime
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:52pm

      Showtime
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:47pm
      @My Sacred Honor
      @ETETET

      There’s a new story up about the Navy, and Broker put up his comment. It was the only one. I reported it, and they removed it. Seven more comments were there instead

      Report Post » Showtime  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:13pm

      @ETET

      No hacking likely on the part of Broker 0101, it is just as others have mentioned, keep refreshing the page, and make the same old quip as fast as possible, over and over again. Broker accused me once of doing the same thing when the Blaze first begun, and I was first learning about the sight and how to make postings.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:16pm

      @ETET

      One other thing came to mind, the Blazers moderators are on the job quickly when a pattern of posts develops and is reported; back in mid January we had a counterfeiter come to the sight who kept changing their screen name in imitation of several users, some of who no longer are bothering ot come here to the Blaze.

      When the moderators found out the counterfeiter was active, they jumjped into action and deleted not only their duplicate posts, they also barred their IP address and tightened up the security at the sight.

      Thank God for that indeed, for I love the Blaze.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Ashley
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:50pm

      One of the reasons that I enjoy reading and commenting on “The Blaze” is that we are all of the similar mind and want to restore our Republic. There are only a few “trolls” that sneak through that interrupt the flow of informative thoughts. The comments here add to the discussion and provide a learning environment for all.

      Report Post »  
  • white_wolves
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:41pm

    Don’t worry, it‘ll the technology will be shared with our enemies because it’s to promote better societies. So as long as we don‘t have insane leaders and groups who want to wipe us from the map it’s ok. That’s right… all in the name of fairness.

    Report Post » white_wolves  
    • Bigliardi
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:07pm

      Bill Clinton is trying to contact Loral even as we speak….

      Report Post »  
    • VRW Conspirator
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 10:39am

      I would share this with our enemies as well….

      Like we can do a test firing for Iran by putting a few shots through one of their underground nuke development sites….20 ft per sec…should be able to hit the reactor underground in about 30 seconds….BIG BADA BOOM!!

      See…sharing is caring…Obama would like that right… LOL

      Report Post » VRW Conspirator  
  • UlyssesP
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:40pm

    Able to cut through 20 feet of solid steel every second!!!!
    Wow.
    Ultimate goal – The weapon will be able to burn through 2,000 feet of steel per second.
    How long before the Chinese steal this one and put them pointing out in every TV they make to suddenly zap us all one day as were sitting watching Glenn.
    I‘m just sayin’.

    Report Post » UlyssesP  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:54pm

      I heard the North Koreans are build a huge space platform for the Chinese super laser, It’s called the Death Moon, or the Kim Cooker, they can’t decide which.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • etetetet
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:23pm

      @DARMOK –
      Heard the name of the Cookbook when you integrate a Chinese cookbook and North Korean cookbook?

      101 ways to Wok a dog!!!

      Report Post »  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:35pm

      “Dog makes a fine meal.” Mel Gibson, The Patriot

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • Sinista Mace
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 10:20am

      How do you know it’s not there already…

      How do you know if they’re reading your thermal signature using the infrared reciever on the front of your tv for your remote control….

      How do you know if they can’t use that same type of reciever to analyze the infrared heat signature of your visual cortex located at the rear of your brain, to process that infrared heat with a computer to create an image of what you actually see with your own eyes…transmitted back to Narus Insight or Echelon?

      You know, all it takes is one infrared laser device to beam your house or car windows from quite a distance, processing the reflected resonance of the laser to listen to what you’re saying in your house like a virtual wiretap…it’s small enough to fit in a new nano-hummingbird…

      Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
    • Uncle Crusty
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 11:29am

      3…2…1…fire, ooops, missed and hit Iran instead of the indended target, sorry Iran! Our bad…

      Report Post »  
  • franknshadow
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:39pm

    *Yawn* Wonder what evil intent this is for..

    Report Post » PrfctlyFrank  
    • Psychosis
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:43pm

      wart removal for pelosi

      Report Post » Psychosis  
    • LadyLibertykicksASS
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 3:22pm

      How about we flash fry SOROS…..just til he’s crispy!!

      Report Post »  
    • etetetet
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:45pm

      To kill the enemies abilities to kill us.

      Report Post »  
    • etetetet
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:51pm

      oops – meant to post here – So we can kill the enemies abilities (that means all resources that can be use) to kill us.

      Report Post »  
  • bertr
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:39pm

    when? i think you are trying to spin the truth as normal? prove me wrong please

    Report Post » bertr  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:39pm

    you should try to add some humor to your posts, and less stupid

    Report Post » Psychosis  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:38pm

    but , due to the green movement, these systems will have to run off of windmills, so they will only be able to use them as signal lamps

    Report Post » Psychosis  
  • spreadcommonsensenot pc
    Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:36pm

    shhhhhh—Top Secret

    Report Post »  
    • HillBillySam1
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:50pm

      You know that Al Gore is gonna take credit for inventing this thing…..if only he could get it to do a massage……he is a VERY brilliant man…….just ask him if you don’t think so…..

      Report Post »  
    • Laus Deo
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:51pm

      Beta test in Madison, Wi?

      Laus Deo  
    • TheNewCivility
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:54pm

      @HillBillySam: Gore would probably need one megawatt of laser power to release his chakras!

      Report Post » TheNewCivility  
    • Showtime
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:55pm

      Sweet story, Meredith Jessup. Thanks.

      Report Post » Showtime  
    • mcfinch
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 10:57pm

      I can’t wait to see what the libs say about this.

      http://politicalbowl.com – Poltical Videos

      Report Post » mcfinch  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:06pm

      Interesting, wonder if the first target will be a flying rooster or something? Just testing it out to make old Colonel Sanders proud.

      I have to admit, as a defensive weapon goes against missiles and such, this had immense potential. Knowing that, it most likely will be the next thing Obama will get rid of to make the world safer for all the enemies of the United States.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • joseph Fawcett
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:06pm

      sounds good to me, and yes Shhhhhhhhhhh! Obama and the libs will cancel the program and apolgize to the world for the US Navy.

      http://www.josephfawcettart.com western artist

      Report Post » joseph Fawcett  
    • My Sacred Honor
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:18pm

      I know enough about electronics, and frequencies to know this is scary sheite. Mankind holding this much power equates to the Manhatten project which gave us nuclear fissle-bomb technology, and should be understood in total before being relesed upon mankind. I.E., it is such a dangerous technology that it maybe shouldn’t have been investigated to start with. Just like fission technology investigated by Marie Curie, and the particle-accelorator technology at CERN a year or so ago (which many scientists thoerised that if you collide neutrons at that speed, it may produce an atomic sized black hole that would immediately travel to the center of our planet and grow, until it engulfs and obliterates the planet), technology like this, ultimately uncontrolable, is better left let alone.
      We as Mankind need to realize, there are things that must be governed by REASON before such technology is unleashed on society.
      God is watching, and BOY is he pissed.

      Report Post » My Sacred Honor  
    • nosycophant
      Posted on February 21, 2011 at 11:22pm

      Old news……..

      Report Post »  
    • ihveit
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 12:15am

      i wonder how much obama is going to get for this information from his muslim “brutters”

      since he took office seem a lots of stuff has suddenly shown up in the wrong hands
      will

      Report Post »  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 12:42am

      Now if they can invent a speaker that works at Mc D’s

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • colonial10
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 2:03am

      They shouldn’t have told anyone. We are not the only eyes that are watching and the only ears listening. It would have been nice to keep it hush and when Iran makes it’s move on the world then use it. I think Lao Tzu mentions that a country should not show off its weapons.

      Report Post » colonial10  
    • colonial10
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 2:05am

      The top hackers probably are already stealing info. I bet our government is talking to countries about selling our technology. Idiots!!

      Report Post » colonial10  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 6:53am

      Oh, good. What could go wrong with having this thing.

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
    • felina g
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 7:27am

      Tesla.

      Report Post »  
    • NSDQ
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 8:59am

      I‘m sorry didn’t the latest STARS treaty say we weren’t to develop any new missile defenses

      Report Post » NSDQ  
    • Sinista Mace
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 10:00am

      Electron Cannon cannot defeat my PROTON CANNON!

      Not to mention my BLACK HOLE CANNON!

      You see, electrons DON’T CARRY CURRENT.

      REAL current runs OPPOSITE of conventional current.

      REAL current is composed of HOLES.

      Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
    • rreksNEOFREEDOM
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 11:48am

      I bet you it is already deployed.

      Report Post » rreksNEOFREEDOM  
    • gofigureinternational
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 1:23pm

      Agree My Sacred Honor…Wonder what this beam would do in a vacuum (say space). You still have to wonder with the size of the bird they sent up out of California a few weeks ago-reported to be a satellite able to read license plates and ‘makes’ of vehicles (now 25-30 year old technology plus), just what exactly it really was. Many questions arise just contemplating this weapon, but what happens to anything ‘behind’ the target if it gets to the point it can burn through 2000’ of steel/sec.? Would you not have to assure it has a downward trajectory when you are essentially firing it off of a round ball (the earth) on a boat that also rises and falls in waves, or does this technology have a “focal point” or range? Sounds like in theory, if you roll enough power to it, you can burn through pretty much anything. Dangerous if you happen to be a flock of birds, aircraft or satellite a few hundred miles away and they are shooting off a boat! Where is Dr. Evil to answer these questions?:):)

      Report Post »  
    • democratgirl
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 5:02pm

      Ashley,
      YES, there are quite a few trolls here who love to create evil and chaos and are antagonistic towards honest people, but that’s ok. I know who most of them are and I follow them. YES, I am a hacker, but I am a good hacker. I can pretty much find anyone and follow them all over the place. Most of these trolls have absolutely no idea how stupid they really are. I have jackets on them and so far, they are fairly harmless, but yes, they are trolls that come over here from their libertard part of the net to try to confound us….which is a LOL moment for me as they are AMATEURS. Right Mr. Soros? LOL LOL LOL LOL

      Report Post » ChildOfTheKing  
    • PeteO
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 9:35pm

      haha, Gore will say this is merely his “unreleased chakra”

      Report Post »  
    • m2davis
      Posted on February 22, 2011 at 11:38pm

      Oh is that where that hole in the Ozone came from? ;-)

      Report Post »  
    • Sinista Mace
      Posted on February 23, 2011 at 12:46pm

      DemocratGirl…

      What type of person has the time to sit here and draw up dossiers on people….

      Except the Alphabet Boys, FBI, CIA…HHS..

      What type of person comes into a real time forum claiming that they’re a hacker, and who actually determines what’s a “good” hacker or otherwise?

      I think you’re a poser.

      Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
    • Sinista Mace
      Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:44pm

      Sacred Honor

      This type of technology has to be balanced with spirituality.

      Otherwise, it wreaks utter destruction.

      Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
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