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Raytheon and the U.S. Army Apache Program Management, in collaboration with U.S. Special Operations Command have completed successful flight test of a high energy laser system on-board an Apache AH-64 at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The demonstration was the first time when a fully integrated laser system was successfully engaged and fired on a target from a rotary-wing aircraft over a wide variety of flight regimes, altitudes and air speeds.

The test achieved all primary and secondary goals, providing solid experimental evidence for the feasibility of high resolution, multi-band targeting sensor performance and beam propagation supportive of High Energy Laser (HEL) capability for the rotary-wing attack mission. Additionally, the system performed as expected while tracking and directing energy on a number of targets. The design of future HEL systems will be shaped by the data collected on the impact of vibration, dust and rotor downwash on HEL beam control and steering.

In the test Raytheon coupled a variant of the Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS), an advanced electro-optical infrared sensor, with a laser. The MTS provided targeting information, situational awareness and beam control. By combining combat proven sensors, like the MTS, with multiple laser technologies, Raytheon aims to bring the capability to the battlefield sooner rather than later.