America is about to test weapons of

The US Air Force increased computer simulations to prepare laser weapons on fighter jets by 2021.

National Interest magazine, said the US Air Force has allocated $ 7 million to Stellar Science in a five-year plan to develop a simulated laser weapons test system on computers.

Stellar Science, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will continue its work starting in 2014, when the US Air Force assigned the company to develop a simulation system for directional energy weapons.

Laser weapons for aircraft are designed for many potential tasks such as air-to-air, air-to-ground, air support, anti-drone attack aircraft, ground attack, and even defense of names. fire. This is part of the Strategic Defense Initiative, also called "Star Wars", initiated by former President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

Laser weapons use high-temperature light streams to burn targets. The laser beam travels at the speed of light allowing almost instantaneous destruction of targets that move at high speed, countering enemy attacks, a US Air Force official explained.

Boeing YAL-1, America's first flying laser weapon but not really successful.Photo: American Missile Defense Agency.

The advantage of laser weapons is the low cost for each shot , minimizing dependence on expensive missiles in combat situations. Another advantage of laser weapons is that there is no limit to the number of bullets carried as missiles. A conventional fighter can only carry 6 to 7 missiles.

Meanwhile, laser weapons mounted on fighters can fire thousands of times, consuming only 3.7 liters of jet fuel, the air force expert explained.

The high energy laser HEL used on the ground was tested in 2015 at the White Sands shooting school, New Mexico state. Aircraft laser weapons are expected to be tested in 2021.

The US Air Force is trying to develop laser weapons with a capacity of 10 to 100 kW, an air force official said. Scientists explain that the installation of laser weapons on aircraft is facing many challenges. In particular, the power supply must be small enough to fit in the limited space of the aircraft, while ensuring the necessary power for laser weapons.

Flying laser weapons are expected to begin testing in 2020. (Graphics: General Dynamics).

Scientists plan to test laser weapons on large aircraft such as the C-17 Globemaster III or C-130, and then continue to make efforts to shrink the device so that it can be mounted on fighters like F -35, F-15 or F-16.

Stellar Science is a company with extensive experience in developing 3D simulation devices on computers. Pentagon officials are optimistic about laser weapons in particular and energy-oriented weapons in general.

The United States has pursued the "Star Wars" program for more than 30 years but installing laser weapons on aircraft is still a big challenge. The Pentagon tried to install laser weapons on Boeing 474 aircraft, also called Boeing YAL-1. However, the cost is too high for the program to cancel in 2011.