US amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) carried out a high-energy laser weapon system demonstration while underway in the Gulf of Aden on December 14.
During the demonstration, the Solid State Laser – Technology Maturation Laser Weapons System Demonstrator (LWSD) Mark 2 MOD 0 aboard Portland successfully engaged a static surface training target.
Portland previously tested the LWSD in May 2020 when it successfully disabled a small unmanned aerial system while operating in the Pacific Ocean. Video footage of that trial is available here
The Office of Naval Research selected Portland to host the laser weapon technology in 2018. The LWSD is considered a next-generation follow-on to the LaWS laser weapon system that afloat forward staging base USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) tested for three years while operating in the Middle East.
Portland is part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group that includes amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) and embarked Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The units departed San Diego in August and began operating in the US 5th Fleet region in September.
The region’s geography, climate, and strategic importance offer a unique environment for technology innovation. The navy recently teamed up with Jordan to set up an unmanned surface vessel hub and has already started testing unmanned systems from the Jordanian naval base in Aqaba.
