DARPA Qualifies General Atomics-Built Laser for Field Tests; Rich Bagnell Comments

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency has validated a General Atomics-built laser system for a series of field tests after the company and DARPA completed he program’s laboratory development phase.

DARPA said Thursday the High-Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System is scheduled for ground-based field testing in summer under joint funds from the agency and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.

Rich Bagnell, DARPA program manager, said HELLADS “is now ready to be put to the test on the range against some of the toughest tactical threats our warfighters face.”

HELLADS will be evaluated against rockets, mortars, vehicles and surrogate surface-to-air missiles at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

The laser system will become available to military servicemembers for operational use after the field-testing phase.