The 1-mile laser strike

Era of sci-fi war as helicopter’s invisible beam takes out target

THE most feared military helicopter in the world has just become even more fearsome.

The Apache, which is used by the British Army, has successfully tested a silent and deadly laser cannon.

In a technological breakthrough, its invisible beam hit a target vehicle a mile away. The demonstration was carried out by the US special operations command in the desert of New Mexico.

‘It’s the first time a fully integrated laser system has successfully shot a target from a rotary-wing aircraft,’ said a spokesman for Raytheon, the US contractor which made the cannon.

Lasers are attractive to top brass because they require no ammunition, are extremely accurate and are cheaper than missiles. A UK defence source said: ‘We will have to wait to see what happens during the trials. If you’re flying a helicopter and you want to keep the weight down, then a laser is great.

‘You could only have 16 missiles and once you’ve fired them all you’d have to go home. A laser could fire 200 times.’ Referring to the Star Wars character Han Solo, who carries a laser pistol, he added: ‘You’d have the capability of Han Solo.’

A new generation of around 50 Apache attack helicopters is entering service with the British Army in the early 2020s.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon yesterday announced a £48million training contract to boost recruitment of Apache pilots. He said: ‘The Apache is a vital part of the Army’s fighting force that is helping to keep this country safe.’ The US military is increasingly looking into lasers and the British are following suit. The weapons have been already been test fired from warships and fixed-wing aircraft.

Deploying such a system on a helicopter could give special forces a useful edge when targeting terrorist vehicles such as the pick-ups favoured by Islamic State and the Taliban.