Solid-state lasers (SSL) in defense programs

This chapter reviews the updated status and applications of a defensive weapon based on high power lasers, in the battlefield. The laser weapon is a novel concept which utilizes a high power laser beam to traverse the distance to an incoming object at the speed of light, and then destroy or disable it. Various types of solid-state and fiber lasers and configurations will be discussed in this review. For reference we include in this review also gas lasers and free-electron lasers since they play a major role in any present or future high power laser applications. Although the emphasis of this chapter is on solid-state lasers, it includes discussions on various configurations such as airborne lasers (ABL), diode pumped crystals and disk lasers as well as heat-capacity lasers. Recent applications of ultrafast solid-state lasers for non-lethal or low collateral damage applications will be presented.