International arms law forbids blinding laser weapons
While there are not international laws that ban blinding laser weapons, precedent supports an international ban. Protocol for Prohibiting the Use of Laser Weapons forbids the use or transfer of such weapons. Protocol IV also bans the intentional use of lasers to blind combatants. This would negate the prohibition of laser weapons and violate international humanitarian laws. Despite this precedent no state has ever claimed the rights to blindingly laser weapons.
The use and transfer weapons that cause permanent vision loss is against international law. This principle is rooted in the humanitarian principle of distinction. This principle requires the parties involved in an armed conflict recognize civilians from combatants. Additional Protocol I to Geneva Conventions also prohibits attacks using weapons that are indiscriminate. This means that they are not directed at any particular military objective. The prohibition against the indiscriminate usage of weapons can also be challenged by laser weapons.
U.S. Navy has developed a laser weapon systems
For combat purposes, the U.S Navy is currently developing HELIOS, a high-energy laser. The laser can be used to destroy enemy drones. It is also useful as a tool for long-range intelligence gathering and surveillance. This weapon type is expected to become operational in 2023.
MZA Associates is the company behind the system. They are a laser-specialized company based in Albuquerque. It is expected to be a portable, low-cost counter-unmanned aircraft system. The laser system can be used to shoot down small consumer quadcopters.
It's not ready for combat yet
The Navy recently announced in the U.S. that it had deployed the country's first operational laser weapons. The AN/SEQ-3 Laser Warfare System is a 30-kilowatt laser. The weapon is used to destroy unmanned aircraft and render them unstable through intense light bombardment. The system cost $40 million to develop and is currently deployed with the U.S. Special Operations Command. It has the potential to make drone camera images invisible by using intense light. It was originally deployed aboard the USS Ponce and is now fully functional.
Although the laser weapon is still not ready for combat, several vehicles are being tested with it. Companies such as Raytheon and Lockheed Martin have been working on prototypes for over 50 years. Many of them are in the process of becoming program of record. Many of these weapons should be available for deployment to warfighters by the end century.
It's currently being test on a vessel
Although it is unclear whether the weapon could be deployed by a Navy warship in the future (or not), the LaWS system could offer a great alternative to missiles. The system can save lives and costs only a few bucks per shot. It's currently only approved for water vessels and drones. However, the Navy is testing its use in a variety mission areas.
HELIOS is a multi-mission capability that will be used in operational maritime environments by 2023. Its experience during testing will serve as a guide for future development. It was successful in land-based tests this year in Virginia.
It could also be used to destroy an anti-ship cruise ballistic missile
The Navy is making great progress in developing a high energy laser weapon that could destroy an anti-ship cruise ballistic missile. It is hoped that the weapon will be as powerful as an one-megawatt light source. A 30-kilowatt laser was tested in 2014 on the USS Ponce and was successful in destroying an unmanned aerial vehicle target.
Lasers are versatile weapons and can be used in almost any situation. A laser can target anything, including non-lethal objects and human targets. Lasers destroyed cruise missiles, mortars, and other weapons in tests. However, lasers are not terribly effective at penetrating objects like dust, haze, or anti-laser coatings.