There are two types of FeL, one being cryogenic and the other ambient, the Navy is developing an ambient version. The minimum 100 kilowatts (kw) of power needed to turn the Free Electron Laser (FeL) beam for destruction may damage a close target of a few 100 meters. One really needs minimum of 800 kw to effectively engage a medium hard target to have a working laser weapon system.

It took approximately 37 years to get from 12.8 microns to 14 kw, so meeting 100 kw by 2018 is somewhat a dream unless there is a “major” break in it’s technology as a laser system. One really needs approximately 800 kw to deliver or have an effective weapon system for somewhat “hard” targets.

Just the “tip-of-the-iceberg”.

I’m curious as to how this would be implemented as far as ship-to-ship targeting, given curvature of the Earth, straightness of laser beams, and line-of-sight/proximity requirements. Wouldn’t the laser need to be air-based? Also, the Illustration shows a close-in laser battle which doesn’t seem likely given the long range of missile options.