Royal Navy deployed laser weapons during the Falklands War

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margin-right: 9px;">MILITARY</a> </div>  <h1 id="ar_title">Royal Navy deployed laser weapons during the Falklands War</h1> <div class="summary_details_left"> <p>By <a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/author/david-szondy/" rel="author">David Szondy</a></p> <p><em>August 9, 2013</em></p> </div> <div class="summary_details_right"> <div class="has_comments"><a href="falklands-laser#comments">3 Comments</a></div> <div class="has_pictures"><a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/pictures">4 Pictures</a></div> </div> </div> <div id="article_share_rail"> <div class="as_button"><div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/" data-send="false" data-layout="box_count" data-show-faces="false"></div><script type="text/javascript">_ga.trackFacebook();</script></div> <div class="as_button"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716/http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="gizmag">Tweet</a></div> <div class="as_button"><div class="g-plusone" data-size="tall" data-href="http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/"></div></div> <div class="as_button"><iframe style="overflow: hidden; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716if_/http://badge.stumbleupon.com/badge/embed/5/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gizmag.com%2Ffalklands-laser%2F28574%2F" width="50" height="60" id="iframe-stmblpn-widget-1"></iframe></div> <div class="as_button"><div class="pin-it-button" data-url="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716oe_/http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/" data-image="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/falklands-laser.jpg" data-description="A letter from the Ministry of Defence released under the 30-year rule reveals that laser weapons were deployed on Royal Navy ships during the Falklands War in 1982."></div></div> <div class="as_button"><script type="IN/Share" data-counter="top"></script></div> <div class="as_button" id="reddit_button_rail"><script type="text/javascript">reddit_newwindow='1'</script></div> <div class="as_button" id="email_a_friend_rail"><span class="email_a_friend">Email</span></div> </div> <div id="hero_box" style="width: 530px;"> <a id="hero_link" href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/pictures"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716im_/http://images.gizmag.com/hero/falklands-laser.jpg" title="HMS Hermes may have been one of the ships equipped with a laser weapon (Photo: Royal Navy)" width="530" height="297" alt="HMS Hermes may have been one of the ships equipped with a laser weapon (Photo: Royal Navy)"/></a> <div class="pic_caption"> <p>HMS Hermes may have been one of the ships equipped with a laser weapon (Photo: Royal Navy)</p> <a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/pictures" id="gallery_link">Image Gallery</a> (4 images) </div> <div class="clear_both"></div> </div> <div class="article_body"> <div id="top_unit"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716js_/http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script> <p>Despite recent demonstrations by the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/laser-laws/26978/" target="_blank">US Navy</a>, we still think of laser weapons as being things of the future. However, previously-classified British documents prove that not only were the major powers working on laser weapons in the 1970s and 80s, but that they were already being deployed with combat units in war zones. A letter from the Ministry of Defence released under the 30-year rule reveals that laser weapons were deployed on Royal Navy ships during the Falklands War in 1982, and that the British government was concerned about similar weapons being developed behind the Iron Curtain.</p> <ul id="gallery_images"> <li><a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/pictures#1" class="image"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/falklands-laser-1.jpg" title="The Soviet 1K17 Szhatie laser tank (Image: Vitaly V. Kuzmin/Wikipedia)" alt="The Soviet 1K17 Szhatie laser tank (Image: Vitaly V. Kuzmin/Wikipedia)"/></a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/pictures#2" class="image"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/falklands-laser-3.jpg" title="Artist's concept of a Soviet laser weapon (Image: DIA/Wikipedia)" alt="Artist's concept of a Soviet laser weapon (Image: DIA/Wikipedia)"/></a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/pictures#3" class="image"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/falklands-laser-4.jpg" title="Artist's concept of a US orbital laser (Image: US Air Force) " alt="Artist's concept of a US orbital laser (Image: US Air Force) "/></a></li> </ul> <div class="clear_both"></div> <p>Even though the first lasers were invented in the 1960s and quickly showed their ability to generate power densities capable of burning through steel razor blades, we tend to regard any use of them in the field of weapons as a 21st century development. In the public imagination, laser weapons in the last decade of the Cold War latches on to the American Strategic Defense Initiative (aka Star Wars). It stirs up visions of things like orbiting laser weapons stamped “Made in USA” powered by exploding H-bombs designed to counter a Soviet nuclear attack, but which would forever remain inhabitants of the drawing board.</p> <p>The truth is that not only was there more to the story of laser weaponry, but that they were already part of the armory of some of the major powers. Declassified documents show that the April 2 invasion of Port Stanley, which triggered the Falklands War, came close to seeing them used in combat for the first time.</p> <div style="width: 529px; height: 328px; margin-bottom: 1px;" class="article_img"><a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/pictures#4" target="_blank"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/falklands-laser-4.jpg" width="529" alt="Artist's concept of a US orbital laser (Image: US Air Force) "/></a></div><div class="inline_caption" style="width: 529px; padding: 0;"><p>Artist's concept of a US orbital laser (Image: US Air Force) </p></div><div class="clear_both"></div> <p>The Falklands War is already historic in many ways. It was the only major naval engagement since the Second World War, the first modern missile war, the point where Britain threw off the paralysis caused by the Suez Crisis, and one of the most remarkable deployments since WWII as the Royal Navy managed to mount a task force and retake the Falkland Islands in two months, one week, and five days.</p> <p>Those of us who were alive then recall a persistent rumor, even an open secret in defense circles, of laser weapons being used by the Royal Navy during hostilities. The loss of several Argentine fighters was attributed to lasers designed to dazzle pilots, and one instance was put forward where the pilot saw a glaring light before going down.</p> <p>Recently-declassified documents confirm at least part of the story. A letter from then Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine, dated 17 January 1983, states that a medium-power laser weapon was deployed with the task force.</p> <p>The letter states, "You may recall, however, that we developed and deployed with great urgency a naval laser weapon, designed to dazzle low flying Argentine pilots attacking ships, to the Task Force in the South Atlantic. This weapon was not used in action and knowledge of it has been kept to a very restricted circle."</p> <div style="width: 529px; height: 335px; margin-bottom: 1px;" class="article_img"><a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/pictures#2" target="_blank"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/falklands-laser-1.jpg" width="529" alt="The Soviet 1K17 Szhatie laser tank (Image: Vitaly V. Kuzmin/Wikipedia)"/></a></div><div class="inline_caption" style="width: 529px; padding: 0;"><p>The Soviet 1K17 Szhatie laser tank (Image: Vitaly V. Kuzmin/<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716/http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Laser_tank_1K17_Szhatie_-2.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</p></div><div class="clear_both"></div> <p>The letter is also a fascinating capsule history of laser weapons development up to that time. According to Heseltine, Britain had been looking into laser weapons since the laser's invention in the early 1960s, but interest really peaked after a major US breakthrough in 1972. This isn't spelled out, but it’s most likely the development of high-energy gas dynamic lasers, which had the potential of generating enough power to take out aircraft and missiles. Heseltine pointed out that Britain and America were constantly exchanging information on the topic, and in 1974 a British program was set up to assess laser damage and propagation effects.</p> <p>The outcome of these studies in 1979 was that Britain’s interests were better served by medium-range lasers against soft targets, such as eyes, optics and electro-optic sensors. Furthermore, the letter points out that by the mid-1980s the Soviets could be fielding similar laser weapons, may have already installed one on the Cruiser Kirov, and that such weapons could give the Warsaw Pact an advantage if used in an armored attack on NATO forces.</p> <p>This wasn't far off the mark. The Soviets were developing such laser weapons and even built the experimental <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1K17_Szhatie" target="_blank">1K17 Szhatie</a>, which mounted a battery of ruby lasers on a tank chassis to knock out NATO sensors, though it proved too expensive to produce. With the Soviet threat in mind, Britain concentrated on medium-powered lasers and countermeasures against them. However, since lasers don’t work very well in poor weather, they were not regarded as a substitute for conventional weapons.</p> <p>There aren't many details on the laser deployed during the Falklands War, but it’s likely to be the Laser Dazzle System (LDS), specifically designed for use against aircraft sensors and pilots. According to defense expert Norman Friedman writing in <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716/http://books.google.com/books?id=l-DzknmTgDUC&lpg=PA362&ots=2shOE1thGp&dq=Laser%20Dazzle%20Sight%20(LDS)%20Royal%20Navy&pg=PA362#v=onepage&q&f=false" target="_blank"><em>The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapons Systems, 1997-1998</em></a>, this was very likely a manual device relying on binoculars for aiming, though by the 1990s there were reports of ones on fixed motorized mounts and operating in the near-IR wavelengths to counter lens coatings and anti-laser goggles. Exactly which ships carried the lasers isn't certain, but they may have been on frigates, amphibious assault ships, or the two aircraft carriers in the task force.</p> <p>Source; <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716/http://filestore.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/prem-19-972-1.pdf" target="_blank">The National Archives</a> (PDF) via <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23518592" target="_blank">BBC</a></p>    <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716js_/http://static.fmpub.net/zone/7980"></script> <div id="bottom_unit"> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716js_/http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script> </div> </div> <span class="title share_bar">Share</span> <div id="article_share_bar" class="dotsontop share_bar"> <div class="as_button fb_as_button"><div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/" data-send="false" data-layout="box_count" data-show-faces="false"></div><script type="text/javascript">_ga.trackFacebook();</script></div> <div class="as_button"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716/http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="gizmag">Tweet</a></div> <div class="as_button"><div class="g-plusone" data-size="tall" data-href="http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/"></div></div> <div class="as_button"><iframe style="overflow: hidden; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716if_/http://badge.stumbleupon.com/badge/embed/5/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gizmag.com%2Ffalklands-laser%2F28574%2F" width="50" height="60" id="iframe-stmblpn-widget-2"></iframe></div> <div class="as_button"><div class="pin-it-button" data-url="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716oe_/http://www.gizmag.com/falklands-laser/28574/" data-image="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/falklands-laser.jpg" data-description="A letter from the Ministry of Defence released under the 30-year rule reveals that laser weapons were deployed on Royal Navy ships during the Falklands War in 1982."></div></div> <div class="as_button"><script type="IN/Share" data-counter="top"></script></div> <div class="as_button" id="reddit_button_bar"><script type="text/javascript">reddit_newwindow='1'</script></div> <div class="as_button" id="email_a_friend_bar"><span class="email_a_friend">Email</span></div> </div>  <span class="title clear_left" id="author_byline_title">About the Author</span> <div class="dotsontop" id="authorcontainer">  <a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/author/david-szondy/"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130825103716im_/http://images.gizmag.com/author_profiles/153.jpg" alt="David Szondy" id="bio_pic"/> </a>   David Szondy is a freelance writer based in Monroe, Washington. An award-winning playwright, he has contributed to Charged and iQ magazine and is the author of the website <em>Tales of Future Past</em>.   <a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/author/david-szondy/">All articles by David Szondy</a> <span id="author_byline_links">   </span> <br class="clear_both"> </div>  <div id="tags"> <span class="title">Tags</span> <div class="dotsontop"> <ul> <li>» <a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/tag/history/" rel="tag">History</a></li> <li>» <a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/tag/laser+weapon/" rel="tag">Laser weapon</a></li> <li>» <a href="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/tag/royal-navy/" rel="tag">Royal Navy</a></li> </ul> <div class="clear_both"></div> </div> </div> <div id="bing_unit"></div>  <span class="title" id="comments">3 Comments</span> <div class="dotsontop"> <div id="comment-247786" class="a_comment"> <p>Reminds me of stories my uncle used to tell me as a kid about how in the early 70s, the old country used fixed laser cannons in the mountains to repel Russian tanks that were trying to expand their territory. He was just a Colonel, but I never doubted him even though he would never be able to prove the claim. </p> <p></p> <p>The narrow canyons would funnel the heavy artillery in making them easier to pick off. Power for the lasers was provided by adjacent nuclear reactors, so I can imagine the deficiencies in technology at that time was only matched by the brute force available from having so much power on tap. </p> <p>He would say they actually disabled the tanks which I took to mean targeted the tracks/wheels or the engine bay, not actively trying to kill the occupants. I imagine a few Russian soldiers would have also permanently lost their vision from the light scatter on the tank. </p> <p>It ultimately served more as a deterrent rater then actual weapon from what he describes. </p> <p></p> <p>Either way, it is very ballsy for the British and Russian government to openly release information about possible use of this tech because while lazes are no mystery to most, their use in in a military context is strictly banned by the convention (for those that signed it) </p> <p></p> <p>But then by opening the topic early to the Youtube generation they are hoping for the usual "Lasers,.. yeah Starwars, James Bond. Cool ..!!" reaction, so any present or future application of this technology will seem positive or at the minimum 'garden variety' and not worth kicking up a fuss about in the media. </p> <p>Just like using 60Ghz microwave energy and ultrasonics on crowds in the middle east was deemed an effective measure for dispersing people. Yes, better then bullets, but some would claim not better then permanent disability and/or debilitating cancers later in life. </p> <span class="name">Nairda</span><br> <span class="date"> 11th August, 2013 @ 05:19 pm PDT</span> </div> <div id="comment-247831" class="a_comment"> <p>re; Nairda </p> <p>Using a laser to permanently blind someone is banned, using a laser to damage or destroy equipment, kill and/or temporarily blind blind people is ok. As always try to limit collateral damage. </p> <span class="name">Slowburn</span><br> <span class="date"> 12th August, 2013 @ 12:24 am PDT</span> </div> <div id="comment-247849" class="a_comment"> <p>The United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (which details the ban on member states using Lasers to blind people in warfare), whilst signed in 1981 did not come into force until 1983, so The United Kingdom (or Russia, for that matter), wouldn't have anything to fear about this information release. </p> <span class="name">Rob Creek</span><br> <span class="date"> 12th August, 2013 @ 01:18 am PDT</span> </div> </div> <span class="title">Post a Comment</span> <div class="dotsontop" id="comment_form_div"> <div id="comment_form" data-article="28574"> <div id="comments_login"> <form action="/web/20130825103716/http://www.gizmag.com/index.php" name="login_form" id="login_form" onsubmit="return false;"> <p class="bold">Login with your gizmag account:</p> <p id="login_status"></p> 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Royal Navy deployed laser weapons during the Falklands War