Laser weapons are becoming increasingly common in U.S Navy warships.
New images point to the fact that Optical Dazzling Interdictor or ODIN is now being
used operationally, not just for experiments.
ODIN is seen deployed to the USS Stockdale (DDG 106) Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile
destroyer as per published images by U.S Navy.
Viewers may note that the USS Stockdale is part of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group
(CSG-1) and was moved to Hawaii in June to counter drills carried out by Russia’s Pacific
Fleet. As per reports, the warship is currently conducting routine training off of the West
Coast as part of the U.S. 3rd Fleet.
ODIN is one of the U.S Navy's most important directed energy weapons programs.
In this video Defense Updates analysis how the U.S Navy is rapidly proceeding with the
deployment of laser weapon on warships? Let's get started.
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ODIN is one of several initiatives of the Navy Laser Family of Systems (NLFoS) which
includes the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-Dazzler System (HELIOS) and the High
Energy Laser Counter-ASCM Program (HELCAP).
While the exact capability of the system is classified, ODIN is thought to be capable
of disrupting and countering sensor systems present in a wide range of threats including
surface vessels, aircraft, drones and anti-ship missiles.
ODIN is a low-power laser system and works by blinding rival's electro-optical and infrared
sensors by directing a “dazzler” laser beam at them.
The system has been fitted to USS Stockdale forward Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) pedestal.
ODIN also includes a high-power camera system that can be used for other applications apart
from its main role in targeting for the dazzler system.
In 2020, Frank Peterkin, the Senior Technologist for the Directed Energy at the Office of Naval
Research (ONR), there are plans in place to deploy ODIN systems aboard seven more U.S
Navy vessels by 2023.
Peterkin stated, "We’ve been working hard for the last five
to seven years to try to bring directed energy forward in a meaningful sense to the warfighter
and the operational community while at the same time advancing the technology"
He added, "We’re in a little bit of a golden age for collaboration now for directed energy.”
So, it is evident that more warships will have ODIN.
USS Stockdale like the other 68 Arleigh Burke class destroyers is packed with a powerful
weapon set.
The defensive weapon consists of the following:
1. Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) is the primary air defense system. It has a range
of 10 nmi or 19 km and a speed of Mach 3.5 Arleigh Burke-class has 96 cell Mk 41 Vertical
Launch System (VLS) & and these can be quad packed
2. RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles is a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air
missile meant for point defense. It has a speed in excess of Mach 2 and has a range
of 9 km or 5.6 mi. 3. Phalanx Close-in Weapon System is deployed
for last-ditch defense against airborne threats. It uses an automated 20 mm Gatling gun which
is capable of firing up to 50 rounds per second.
While this is an excellent defensive suit, these weapons could be overwhelmed by a saturation
attack since the warship has a finite number of weapons storing capacity.
The speed of light enables Laser Weapons to hit their targets almost instantaneously.
Laser weapons also don’t need to carry ammunition like traditional systems and hence they will
be able to take out a much larger number of threats constrained only by the power supply
limit of the platform.
This is pretty significant as traditional air defense systems can run out of ammunition
when encountering a large number of incoming threats.
They are silent and invisible which makes them very much suitable when it comes to taking
out targets discreetly. They are also so much cheaper and could cost
as low as $1 per shot.
The U.S Navy has requested $9.5 million for ODIN in its FY 2022 budget documentation.
This is down from $34 million in 2021.
The U.S Navy’s budget requests state that the decrease is due to the fact that “the
majority of the procurement, assembly, checkout, integration, T&E, and installation of units
1-8 being either complete or in process,” noting that “Funding in FY22 is primarily
for the Operation & Sustainment (O&S) of installed ODIN Units.”
This clearly indicates that ODIN has reached a reasonably mature state.
In 2010, the U.S Air Force mounted and fired off a megawatt-class chemical laser from a
modified Boeing 747. Things have changed since then and instead of unstable chemical lasers
used for that experiment, solid-state lasers are now being utilized.
Another test with LaWS or AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System was conducted in 2014.
The efforts are bearing fruit now. Laser weapons are no longer just part of Si-Fi
movies, they are poise to play an important role in naval combat.
In near future, we will surely see a lot of different kinds of laser weapons being fielded
including High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance, or HELIOS.
The important part is that the U.S military seems to be at the forefront of this technology
and is having a lead.