ATHENA is a transportable, ground-based system that serves as a low-cost test bed for demonstrating technologies required for military use of laser weapon systems. A ruggedized variant of the system would be suitable for military operations.
Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Test High Energy Asset system, also known as ATHENA, is a prototype laser weapon system that is designed to defeat close-in, low-value threats such as improvised rockets, unmanned aerial systems, vehicles and small boats.
The above video feature The world’s first active laser weapon. Have a look at Laser Weapons System that is most lethal, silent, invisible, moves at 186,000 miles per second, and costs about $1 per shot
It is more precise than a bullet that moves at the speed of light. For comparison, that is 50,000 times the speed of an incoming ICBM.
It is like throwing massive amounts of photons at an incoming object. with this type of weapon you don’t worry about wind, we don’t worry about range, we don’t worry about anything else. We’re able to engage the targets at the speed of light.”
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The Above Video Features The Lockheed Martin Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) prototype laser weapon system
ATHENA proved that an advanced system of sensors, software, and specialized optics can deliver decisive lethality against unmanned aerial vehicle threats.
This test was conducted at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico
ATHENA destroyed five Outlaw unmanned aerial systems in August 2017.
