Solid state medium energy weapon laser

A solid state medium energy weapon laser (MEL) is investigated at Rheinmetall for i.e. anti air defense applications up to distances of about 7 km. Due to the small volume these lasers can be integrated as a secondary weapon system into mobile platforms such as AECVs. The beam power of a MEL is between 1 kW and 100 kW. The electric energy per pulse is in the kJ range. A burst of only a few pulses is needed to destroy optronics of targets in a distance up to 7km. The electric energy requirements of a MEL system are low. High energy density pulsed power technologies are already available for the integration into a medium sized vehicle. The paper gives an overview on the MEL technologies which are under investigation in order to introduce a technology demonstrator at the end of 2005. The electric requirements at the interface to the power bus of a vehicle are presented. Finally an integration concept as a secondary weapon hi a medium sized vehicle is given and discussed.