The United States Marine Corps sees combat lasers as its future weapon of choice in attack and defense and plans to mount these weapons on its fleet of combat aircraft and air defense units as soon as posible.

The advantage of combat lasers, also called directed energy weapons, from the Marine Corps' view is they don't require expensive ammunition and can also be used defensively against missiles and other aircraft at a much lower cost, said Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command and Deputy Commandant, Combat Development and Integration.

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He said that cost per shot ranges from $300,000 to $400,000 for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) beyond-visual-range missile carried by Marine F-35B stealth fighters. The cost of the 25 millimeter rounds fired by the GAU-22/A four-barreled cannon arming F-35Bs is also expensive .

Gen. Walsh also said the Marines are looking to mount lasers on its fleet of Bell AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopters and even its Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor transport and troop carrying aircraft.

"As soon as we could miniaturize them, we would put them on F-35s, Cobra (attack helicopters) ... any of those kind of attack aircraft," said Gen. Walsh.

Lasers will lighten the Marines' logistical requirements, especially in ammunition (which is heavy and dangerous) by reducing the amount of powder and kinetic ordnance Marine units have to lug onto the field, he said.

In addition to its aircraft, the Marines also plan to arm its ground-based air defense units with combat lasers, said Gen. Walsh.

The Marines are working with the Office of Naval Research (ONR) on the Ground-Based Air Defense Directed Energy On-the-Move (GBAD) program, a ground-vehicle mounted high-energy laser system connected to air defense radar systems.

GBAD defends against aerial drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It aims to provide an affordable alternative to traditional firepower to keep enemy UAVs from tracking and targeting Marines on the ground.

Gen. Walsh said ONR has tested a 10 kilowatt laser with the system and "the intent is to move to a 30 kilowatt laser" that can destroy light vehicles.

The Marines' immediate need, however, is to arm its F-35Bs with lasers, said Gen. Walsh. He said mounting a laser on board an F-35 is "absolutely" something the Marines are definitely interested in.

The Marines will start along this road by mounting a laser system on a Lockheed AC-130W Stinger II gunship. Gen. Walsh said this gunship is a better fit for the test because of its huge size, weight and power. He admitted it's been a tough job reducing the size lasers so they can arm smaller aircraft like fighters.

Despite these challenges, Gen. Walsh said laser weapons will be increasingly critical for the Marines in the future.

"It's very important. It's where we want to go," he said. 

TagsUnited States Marine Corps, Lasers, Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, F-35B stealth fighter, Bell AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter, MV-22 Osprey