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> A directed energy weapon also has an effectively bottomless magazine. Is this true for a laser mounted on an airplane? How is the energy stored?
by danmaz74 7y ago
> A directed energy weapon also has an effectively bottomless magazine.
Is this true for a laser mounted on an airplane? How is the energy stored?
- onion2k 7y agoHow is the energy stored? Presumably as jet fuel, and the laser is charged by the plane's engines.
- consp 7y agoMost extreme high power lasers are chemical in nature, but these are probably somewhat similar to the setup in [1] by the laser power mentioned. I would guess using an APU to control conditions but it does not rule out your guess of using the onboard systems. 1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AN/SEQ-3_Laser_Weapon_System https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AN/SEQ-3_Laser_Weapon_System
- Aeolun 7y agoI imagine there is a bunch of capacitors that make sustained fire rather hard.
- dexen 7y agoJet & turbine engines provide abundant horsepower at the tailpipe[1]. A cursory search suggests typical jet fighter has one or two electric generators in 70...90kVA range that tap power off of the turbines' shaft - mostly meant to run the internal systems and any electronic payload [2]. While a 50kW laser needs much more electrical power than the 50kW optical output, you can conceivably recharge a bank of its (super)capacitors pretty fast from the 1x or 2x 70...90kVA source. I presume much higher power electric generators are a perfectly feasible upgrade, and just not installed presently for sake of space & weight savings. [1] there's no direct conversion as it depends on speed, but 266000 HP = 198 MegaWatt figure for a slow-flying Boeing 747 gives rough idea, as per https://www.quora.com/How-many-horsepower-is-a-Boeing-747-Jet https://www.quora.com/How-many-horsepower-is-a-Boeing-747-Je... [2] some fighters and most larger planes are also equipped with an independent APU - a self-contained power generator, also feeding off of the jet fuel