It can detect a small incoming missile at supersonic speeds from almost any angle. a large UAV or UCAV wont stand a chance.
Also oversighted, but can also hit mortars which are relatively smaller, sure they are slower but impressive none the less.
When they get this thing matured it's going to be awesome.
It truly seems useless to be honest, a conventional missile/round would do the job instantly.
Therein lies the problem, missles and rounds have to account for many parameters where a laser does not, speed of the object(not as much), wind, mavity, also that it needs physical rounds that will run out and need replacing, aren't always 100% accurate, they fire hundreds and hundreds of rounds, if not a thousand or more to shoot down a target when really, only one needs to connect, that's why the use so many rounds, just spray in the general direction and hope one hits.
With it's current tracking system altered to account for the speed of photons, this will make a huge difference.
At sea level, light travels at 299,792,388 m/s and I'm not sure what frequency they are using, but it's still going to be fast considering the current phalanx is optimal at 3.5km, but it's max effective range is "classified".
The othe problem is a lot of these defences are automated, and may fire at objects coming into a base that will make rounds go over civilian population, I'm not sure the procedure here but I believe incidents do occur.
) - then they won't ever fire at the plane because it's 7 years bad luck!
