Jamie Bennet
Raytheon, an RTX company, has teamed up with Texas A&M University to test its high-energy laser weapon at the institute’s RELLIS campus at the George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex in Bryan, Texas.
The open-air test of the 15-kilowatt laser is the first such experiment in the state, BCDC said Friday. Its positive results prompted Raytheon to consider deepening its partnership with BCDC over designing, manufacturing and testing of HEL weapons at the facility moving forward.
Michael Hofle, senior director of high energy lasers at Raytheon, described drone attacks as “having an out-sized impact” and are “extremely difficult to detect and defeat”.
“That’s why we’re making Texas a hub for solving these challenges, side-by-side with the Bush Combat Development Complex. Having the ability to test our systems in our own backyard is a game changer for getting this technology into the hands of uniformed personnel quickly and affordably,” he elaborated.
The HEL was ordered by the U.K. Ministry of Defense, which is expected to receive the weapon this month.
