Lockheed Martin‘s area defence anti-munitions (ADAM) laser system has successfully demonstrated its ability to counter Qassam rockets during a series of test flights at an undisclosed location.
A total of eight small-calibre free-flying Qassam-style rocket targets were successfully destroyed by the prototype laser system during their flight at a range of approximately 1.5km during the testing carried out in March and April.
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Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Missile Defense Systems president Tory Bruno said: "Our test results demonstrate the capabilities of the ADAM system to provide a practical, affordable directed-energy solution to the real-world problem of close-in threats."
The system had also intercepted 11 small-calibre rocket targets in simulated flight, while being tethered to a cable at a range of 2km, while also engaging an unmanned aerial system (UAS) target in flight at a range of 1.5km during flight testing against representative airborne targets in November 2012.
Equipped with a 10kW fibre laser, the ADAM is a portable, ground-based laser system designed to safeguard military high-value installations including, forward operating bases (FOBs) against a wide range of close-in improvised rockets, such as Qasam, and unmanned aerial system (UAS) threats.
With a tracking range of more than 5km, the system is capable of precisely locating targets in cluttered optical environments, while the fibre laser helps destroy targets located up to 2km away.
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By GlobalDataLockheed Martin Strategic and Missile Defense Systems advanced programs vice-president Doug Graham said: "High-energy lasers complement kinetic energy systems and have unique attributes, including very low-cost per engagement, a virtually unlimited ‘magazine’ and minimal collateral damage."
Manufactured under the company’s independent research and development funding programme, the modular system can be transported easily and is self-contained to destroy rockets as a standalone system and also engage UAS with an external radar cue.
Image: The ADAM ground-based laser system intercepting a free-flying rocket target during test flight. Photo: © 2013 Lockheed Martin Corporation.
