This book describes the design process for laser weapons and shows how power and weight are related to laser efficiency and duty cycle. The author uses example requirements to step the reader through a basic design. It was written for engineers or physicists who have no experience in the field, or for engineering students who are interested in learning about laser weapons. Readers are expected to have an understanding of optics and laser physics. This book can also be used as a teaching tool for the engineering design process.

A laser weapon is a directed-energy weapon based on lasers. After decades of R&D, as of January 2020, directed-energy weapons including lasers are still at the experimental stage and it remains to be seen if or when they will be deployed as practical, high-performance military weapons. Laser and other directed-energy weapons have been a staple in science fiction since their inception, however. Many types of laser can potentially be used as incapacitating weapons, through their ability to produce temporary or permanent vision loss when aimed at the eyes. This electronic book describes the design process for laser weapons and shows how power and weight are related to laser efficiency and duty cycle. The author uses example requirements to step the reader through a basic design. It was written for engineers or physicists who have no experience in the field, or for engineering students who are interested in learning about laser weapons. Readers are expected to have an understanding of optics and laser physics. This book can also be used as a teaching tool for the engineering design process.

What Is Laser Weapon A directed-energy weapon that makes use of lasers is referred to as a laser weapon. After many decades of research and development, directed-energy weapons such as lasers are still in the experimental stage as of January 2020. It is unknown whether or not these weapons will ever be deployed as operational, high-performance military weapons, and if so, when this will occur. If there is fog, smoke, dust, precipitation, snow, smog, foam, or purposefully scattered obscurant compounds in the atmosphere, atmospheric thermal blooming will be much more severe than it already is. This issue is still mostly unresolved. A laser, at its core, is a light-emitting diode that, in order to function properly and avoid producing unwanted thermal blooming, must emit a beam of light into the atmosphere or into a vacuum. How You Will Benefit (I) Insights, and validations about the following topics: Chapter 1: Laser weapon Chapter 2: Non-lethal weapon Chapter 3: Boeing YAL-1 Chapter 4: Joint Direct Attack Munition Chapter 5: Stealth aircraft Chapter 6: Directed-energy weapon Chapter 7: Air Force Research Laboratory Chapter 8: Space warfare Chapter 9: Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems Chapter 10: Electrolaser Chapter 11: Advanced Tactical Laser Chapter 12: High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System Chapter 13: Chemical laser Chapter 14: Personnel halting and stimulation response rifle Chapter 15: Dazzler (weapon) Chapter 16: Infrared countermeasure Chapter 17: GBU-44/B Viper Strike Chapter 18: Counter rocket, artillery, and mortar Chapter 19: Boeing Laser Avenger Chapter 20: AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System Chapter 21: Iron Beam (II) Answering the public top questions about laser weapon. (III) Real world examples for the usage of laser weapon in many fields. (IV) 17 appendices to explain, briefly, 266 emerging technologies in each industry to have 360-degree full understanding of laser weapon' technologies. Who This Book Is For Professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and those who want to go beyond basic knowledge or information for any kind of laser weapon.

A megawatt (MW)class Free Electron Laser (FEL) as a point defense weapon system may lead to a revolution in anti-ship missile defense. Deep magazine low cost per shot proportional engagement capability and speed of light energy delivery provide the FEL with unmatched advantages over kinetic energy weapon systems. Before an FEL is made feet deployable stability system parameter optimization and operational utility all interest be taken into account. A short Rayleigh length FEL design is being considered in order to reduce system size and mitigate resonator minor damage. A short Rayleigh length thought can lead to vibrational sensitivities which must be studied. This thesis demonstrates that utilizing currently available technology and properly defined parameters a short Rayleigh length FEL should be able to achieve a MW of power. This thesis will also establish the viability of the FEE as a fleet deployable point defense weapon system through the development of a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) which draws from current naval warfare doctrine.