The US Air Force is reportedly developing a special laser weapon that can detonate explosives from over 1,000 feet away.
The weapon goes onto ground vehicles to clear out landmines, bombs, and other dangers. The Recovery of Airbase Denied by Ordinance (RADBO) system is officially on the way. US military contractor Parsons is working on it, according to The Sun.
“The idea behind the RADBO is to allow airmen to clear threats from current or future airfields,” says C4ISRNET. It may not be exactly what Pentagon planners have sought, but it could be worth the effort.
The US Air Force awarded Parsons a massive $40 million contract to create the system. It involves offering 13 RADBO vehicles and three spares as well. The laser can fire over 300 meters away from the vehicle and can detonate cluster bombs, artillery rounds, land mines, and more. Its goal is to safely clear out explosives enemies have dropped on US airfields.
The setup features a mine-proof Cougar MRAT ground vehicle with a three-kilowatt ZEUS laser weapon strapped to the top.
In summation, it isn’t clear just yet whether the laser RADBO system is ready to be deployed just yet or not. It will release by 2023, according to C4ISRNET. That’s what the Air Force contract requires.
The RADBO system isn’t the first of its kind. It may end up being one of the most effective, as a result. There are many areas in the world in need of this type of tech.
