Boeing developing truck-mounted laser cannons for US Army

Boeing is certainly no stranger to lasers of various sorts, and it's now extending its expertise to the US Army, recently snagging a $7 million contract to begin developing a truck-mounted laser weapon system. From the sound of it, the system appears to be not unlike a mobile version of the still-in-development Skyguard laser defense system, with it designed to shoot down rockets, artillery shells and mortar rounds. According to Boeing, the laser cannon would be mounted on a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (not exactly as pictured above) and, if the Army approves, could end up costing a cool $50 million for a "significant component" of the system to be built and tested.

[Via Slashdot]

[Evan @ Jul 25th 2007 4:57PM]

You hit the nail on the head...

[Blackstar @ Jul 25th 2007 6:02PM]

Speaking of head, what about Cortana? Is she going to be targeting it or do we have to way around a laser pointer?

I think they will need something a bit bigger than a Warthog to fit it in.

[mikey @ Jul 25th 2007 8:05PM]

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

Albert Einstein

[Eric Gearhart @ Jul 25th 2007 5:07PM]

Man, Halo CE was great...

[anime2k3 @ Jul 25th 2007 5:14PM]

wait a sec.. so they have a contract but the military hasn't actually approved it yet?

[Todd @ Jul 25th 2007 5:19PM]

Let's extrapolate shall we?
1999 the laser was based inside a large building, test fired at an object on the ground.
2002 the laser was made small enough to fit inside a 747, test fired at objects in the sky.
2007 the laser is made even smaller, now fits on a flat bed truck.
2009 the laser is small enough to be carried by two soldiers.
2010 the laser is the same size as today's handguns.

[bjorn_ahlm @ Jul 25th 2007 5:50PM]

2011: Lasers mounted on sharks heads.

[Jon @ Jul 25th 2007 6:52PM]

2020: One big crater and lots of people with 3rd degree burns

[Blackstar @ Jul 25th 2007 7:38PM]

2021: After the Armageddon - Society is reduced to fighting the next war with stones.

Shortly after the laser guided stone is developed.

[Homeboy @ Jul 25th 2007 5:22PM]

The warthog doesn't have a laser cannon.

At least not in Halo and Halo 2.

[captainawesome @ Jul 25th 2007 5:27PM]

What does power matter, when the enemy learns that you have frickin lasers they're gonna just run away.

[eqsf @ Jul 25th 2007 5:31PM]

is it just me or is anyone else more concerned about the fact that the rover is about to drive off the cliff in the picture?

[Matt @ Jul 25th 2007 5:34PM]

Its called a warthog. GOSH.

;)

[Rob @ Jul 25th 2007 5:35PM]

Maybe that's Engadget's opinion of this project. So, a little editorial freedom on their part.

Great catch though. I couldn't stop laughing after reading your post and looking at the picture.

[Nathan M @ Jul 25th 2007 10:01PM]

ABOUT to drive off the cliff? Seems we're a bit past "about to" and are at "OH MY GOD I JUST DROVE OFF OF A CLIFF". :P

[garver @ Jul 26th 2007 3:42PM]

Its alright in halo 1 the warthog doesn't blow up.

[Ryan @ Jul 25th 2007 5:34PM]

It's for shooting incoming objects such as mortars and artillery shells. For that application it is significantly better because of it's speed and lack of trajectory change.

Interesting stuff.

[JD @ Jul 25th 2007 5:39PM]

Typical cannons don't reach their targets at the speed of light. Or defy gravity.

[logyk @ Jul 25th 2007 5:54PM]

So some day we may bare witness to the irony of a Boeing 747 being shot out of the air by a "Freaking" Lazer mounted Truck developed by Boeing. Adding to the irony would be if as a safety measure all aircrafts of the future would be made from an elastic rubber type material. So as it hit the ground a large "BOING" sound would be heard for miles...

[jim jonze @ Jul 25th 2007 5:54PM]

Of course we need truck mounted laser cannons! How else do you expect us to defend ourselves when the machines rise up and send flying HK-Seekers to kill us all?

[Taylor @ Jul 25th 2007 6:07PM]

BEST. PICTURE. EVER. (for such a post)
Awesome... :)
-Taylor

[robothouse @ Jul 25th 2007 6:10PM]

TRUCKLAZERZGOHPEWPEWPEW!

[JuggleNuts @ Jul 25th 2007 7:10PM]

Gimme.

[Elaine @ Jul 25th 2007 8:56PM]

Why make a laser defense system when you have Master Chief and a Warthog? ;D
Just add a gauss cannon to that Warthog and you'll be good.

[Dan @ Jul 25th 2007 9:16PM]

I'm agreeing further about the picture of the vehicle going off a cliff. It made me laugh a bunch. I blew the image up to see if perhaps the artist rendered vehicle had some kind of flight device attached. As far as lasers on the battlefield, yay! It'll just speed up our moving to robokillers. Several big corporations are working on remote controlled and limited autonomy wheeled armed guard devices.

[Unboring @ Jul 25th 2007 10:47PM]

more proof of engadgets sexual biased fanboyism for xbox360. im disappointed, its everywhere I look, ps3 critics and subliminal xbox ads. kindof disappointing.

[Mike Salem @ Jul 25th 2007 11:21PM]

yea the warthog doesnt have a laser cannon in halo...NERDS!!

[joe @ Jul 26th 2007 9:55AM]

you have to remeber that current weapons still fire muntions so each one of those bullets cost $$, its if a 20mm/30mm/ or a 120mm shell they all cost money, if the army could scale down the THEL they could reduce the cost/per/shot to less then the cost of a 120mm sabot which is made of or Depleted uranium which im sure isnt cheap.

so its actualy going to save them money once they move to energy based weapons only, granted a railgun is still better.

[Scott @ Jul 26th 2007 7:00PM]

Sorry, what I meant to say that Boeing is not making the LASER part of the ABL. Northrop Grumman is making the laser, Boeing is handleing the integration of the laser to the airframe.

[Scott @ Jul 26th 2007 7:00PM]

Of your three links to "lasers of various sorts" the first two are of the same Air-Borne Laser (ABL) which is developed by Northrop Grumman, not Boeing. Boeing is certainly a partner in the project, but not the major player.

Those of us who work in that industry would appreciate it if you got it right.