Quote (Source 1)

Ponce became the testbed platform for the Laser Weapon System (LaWS), with installation of a prototype weapon system for field testing in August 2014.[30][31][32] In December 2014 the United States Navy reported the LaWS system works perfectly, and that the commander of Ponce is authorized to use the system as a defensive weapon.[33] On 9 December 2014, the U.S. Navy released video footage of the LaWS in operation.[34] The operating power of the LaWS is unknown but estimated at 15–50 kW for engaging drones, small aircraft and high-speed boats.[35]

Ponce was deployed to the Persian Gulf in late August 2014.[36][37] The LaWS will remain in use on Ponce as long as it is at sea, potentially into 2017.[38]

Quote (source 2)

The U.S. Navy's new laser weapon, which is currently deployed on the USS Ponce — an amphibious transport ship — is reportedly a 33-kilowatt laser, and it can fire several beams that add up to 100 kilowatts. The Navy said in January that it plans to test a 150-kilowatt version within a year. (A Navy spokesman said he couldn't reveal how powerful the laser actually is.)

The reason for the high power is that even though lasers are focused to a narrow point, their beams still spread out over long distances, and that cuts down the energy that gets delivered to the target. A laser damages its target because the energy from the light heats up the material it hits. As such, the beam has to stay on a target for a certain period of time (more power means less time and thus a more effective weapon). A video released to CNN shows the Navy's Laser Weapons System (LaWS) trained on a target for about 1 or 2 seconds, but none of these specifications have been publicly released yet.

Quote (Mondain @ Aug 4 2017 12:00am)

That's not new. They have these on satellites too.

Quote (GetOnYourKnees @ Aug 4 2017 09:53am)

The US really has a knack for coming up with unintentionally amusing names...President Donald J Fart and the USS ponce :rofl:

Quote (Saucisson6000 @ Aug 4 2017 11:31am)

The problem: range is very (i would say extremely) low and bad weather make it useless...

On the other hand a terrestrial ray, with a real power of ~~~10 millions KW ??? Could be interesting

Because the highter it is, the easier it is to continue

http://www.mdbq.net/pva.jpg

Weather problem still not resolved anyway.

So it's good for super short distances, to destroy mini-drones spying the ship, as example.

It cannot stop missiles coming vertically at hyper sonic speed