Lockheed Martin created the ATHENA fiber laser weapon. It is 30 kW in power and can kill unmanned aerial vessels as well as incoming rockets. It can also defend itself against smaller ground vehicle, such as attack boats. The company claims that this weapon can eliminate flying drones up to a mile away. The ATHENA can be deployed wherever you are, unlike traditional air defenses. It is modular and smart, allowing power to be easily scaled.
The laser weapon, which the company makes available to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and improvised bombers, is low-value. It is a portable, low-cost, and robust field deployable weapon that would provide a tactical advantage in combat. To generate a powerful beam, it uses a special fiber-optic cables.
The US Air Force and the US Army successfully tested the laser weapon at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. The test was performed in a manner that replicated real-world threat ranges. The laser weapon system tracked a small drone, and fired a high-energy laser to destroy it. The drone was tracked by the government's command & control system as it flew around the test range. US Air Force personnel also operated ATHENA. The test resulted in four downed flying drones. All four were destroyed. In flight, it also destroyed a military-type rocket.
According to the company's press release the ATHENA was capable of destroying multiple small drones during flight. The ATHENA can also fire on incoming rockets, making it a valuable tool for the military. Although the company does not provide details about the laser's energy, it states that they have plans to increase the power of the laser to 60 KW. Ultimately, they are planning on placing the laser weapon system on military helicopters.
Athena's weapon system has a modular, innovative design. It uses a variety of low-powered lasers to create one high-powered beam. Fiber laser modules are combined to create the beam. They are coiled in a rope-like fashion. Fiber laser modules require 50% less electricity to operate than traditional solid state lasers. You can also use the laser to vaporize metallic materials. The laser's heat point can cause the metal cloud that is vaporizing to dissipate within a fraction of second.
The ATHENA laser weapons are also based on the company’s Area Defense Anti-Munitions(ADAM) laser weapon systems. The system was built in Sunnyvale California. It is effective against small airborne target. It's also an inexpensive, field-deployable laser weapon. This system can also be used against drones. It has been proven effective against small fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.
The US Air Force needs the ATHENA laser. According to the company the laser is a low price test bed for laser weaponry and that data from these tests will help refine the system. The laser system is capable of shooting down incoming artillery, in addition to defeating drones.