What happens in 2025? / new tactics- new technologies

[Isto]

To add to the last post, i wrote this:


Happened to think also another possible weaknesses for Laser Weaponry.

Is it not so, that to function properly, Laser Weapon need to be continuously burning the target for some time ?

If this is so. Then Target Saturation would become a problem, as the Laser Weapon cannot move from Target to Target fast enough to Neuralize multiple targets fast enough.

For example, there are two missiles incoming, and both of them separate to 24 (x 2 = 48) smaller Warheads before coming to range of Laser Weaponry (Cluster Munition), which all are Offline Guided (as in, not affected by Electronic Warfare or Jamming) with sophisticated enough Independent (offline) Seek and Destroy algorithm that enables each of those 48 incoming warheads to attack the Laser Weapon, or any platforms it attempts to protect.

(These Cluster Munitions function similar than SADARM or BONUS Round, but without the Parachute. Making the Target Acquisition, Lock and Launch in the fly)

How well do Laser Weaponry function against this type of threats ?

Air Burst Munitions for example, shoot in rapid succession, can track multiple targets, change direction in the air and have wide (burst) area that they affect.

There can be many weaknesses that Laser Weaponry have hard time to overcome.

For example, in situation given above. Properties that Air Burst munition loaded Autocannons offer (possibility to affect many targets on short timeframe, possibility to affect larger area with each shot) seem superior when compared to properties of Laser Weaponry (need to focus fire on a single target and stay focused on it for extended period of time).


Also. Against Missiles: Future Cruise Missiles are portrayed to carry 2 smaller missiles to shoot the incoming missiles down, that are supposed to destroy the missile. And all kind of Cluster or Swarm capabilities are spoken of. Again, a single missile, or even few of them have high cost ratio, and Air Burst Autocannons do not, and can possibly track and eliminate multiple threats at the same time, and on top of that, are able to provide other capabilities that the missiles do not (Indirect Fire, Direct Fire, Armor Piercing Munition and so on).

Autocannon is a multi use tool, that can offer support fire in all kind of situations. But how i see it, its main function is to offer support in close range Air Defence and while doing so, especially excel in multi threat environment (because of high Rate of Fire, Area of Effect and relatively low cost of Ammunition).

[MarkSheppard]

Originally Posted by Isto

For example, there are two missiles incoming, and both of them separate to 24 (x 2 = 48) smaller Warheads before coming to range of Laser Weaponry)

Current UK laser weapon accuracy is being able to put 50KW onto a target about the diameter of the 1 EURO coin (25mm~) at 1 km distance.

If you have to separate your main munition into submunitions at say 2 km distance to present a credible target to the laser; the laser has inflicted virtual attrition -- because now wind is going to cause drift, unless you make the submunitions powered/controlled, which drives cost up and reduces # per missile.

So it's a vicious circle you're starting.

I think we're all going to converge on some sort of hybrid Air Defense/General Support vehicle where you have:

1.) 75-100 KW laser for general trash duties (popping drones, shooting down random stuff, destroying UXO in place etc)

2.) 70mm Guided Rocket Pod filled with 40~ 70mm HYDRA type rockets with either a laser guidance kit (cheap) or millimetric wave radar gudiance (expensive). Ukraine is already using laser guided 70mm Hydra-type rockets in airburst/proximity fuze mode against Iranian Shaheed drones.

https://greydynamics.com/vampires-in...rocket-system/

Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS) rockets. The APKWS is a 70mm laser-guided rocket that cost US$27,500 per unit.

The reason I selected a 70mm rocket was that if we put a 40mm Case Telescoped Gun with proximity airburst rounds onto the platform, people will start using it as a general purpose support vehicle, driving it up onto the battlefield to hose down houses and buildings we don't like, which isn't optimal as stuff that shows up on the battlefield for direct fire roles gets shot at.

With 70mm laser guided rockets, you don't even have to have the system be in direct line of sight for engaging ground targets; someone could have a laser designator and guide in the rocket; allowing more "covered area" than a 40mm CTA gun.

3.) Active Radar Effectors -- Modern Digital reprogrammable AESA radars which you'll need to find and target drones anyway -- can be reprogrammed easily for electronic attack -- sending short, focused hyper intense bursts of radar energy -- to fry ("zap") relatively unshielded drones during periods of extremely bad weather where the laser range is reduced.