U.S. Navy announces first operational laser to arm destroyers

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The U.S. Navy has put its first laser-equipped destroyer to sea. In a news release dated Feb. 20, Sea Systems Command says the Optical Dazzling Interdictor Navy, or ODIN, is designed to help ships counter enemy surveillance drones.

ODIN's predecessor — the Laser Weapons System — is a 30 kilowatt laser that had been tested but never operationally fielded.

The outlet reports that ODIN is only one of the laser weapons planned by the service. Another weapon, a 60 to 150 kW laser which has a range of five nautical miles will likely be installed on another destroyer by 2021.

RUNDOWN SHOWS:
1. U.S. Navy's ODIN anti-drone laser dazzler
2. The first ODIN unit was installed on the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Dewey
3. Laser a countermeasure to surveillance drones utilized by adversaries including Iran
4. U.S. Navy is developing multiple laser weapons for the fleet

VOICEOVER (in English):
The U.S. Navy has put its first laser-equipped destroyer to sea. In a news release dated Feb. 20, Sea Systems Command says the Optical Dazzling Interdictor Navy, or ODIN, is designed to help ships counter enemy surveillance drones.

ODIN's predecessor — the Laser Weapons System — is a 30 kilowatt laser that had been tested but never operationally fielded.

The outlet reports that ODIN is only one of the laser weapons planned by the service. Another weapon, a 60 to 150 kW laser which has a range of five nautical miles will likely be installed on another destroyer by 2021.

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