Navy feels that the monsterously large MIRACL style lasers previously used on large transport aircraft and on the ground (for shooting down incoming missiles) can be reduced in size and weight to be able to be carried on an attack helicopter.
Source
China Lake Naval weapons station is located in Ridgecrest, California where the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division feels that Industry "is ready" and technology is probably ready to create these new types of light weight laser weapons..
The program is called High Energy Fiber Laser, and will seek to develop and demonstrate prototype integrated high-energy laser weapon subsystems for installation in a helicopter for airborne laser weapon demonstrations.
Navy officials say they plan to issue the High Energy Fiber Laser program solicitation around 18 Aug. 2014, with a contract award planned for December 2014.
The solicitation proposal reminds me of what is done by the various agencies to "test the waters" and take the pulse of industry, seeing how much free information they will provide to show the current level of tech (industry tends to clamor all over each other providing "free data" in hopes to woo contracts in their direction, sorta like how lobbying works when manufacturers try to influence where funds will be deployed..)






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