On May 20 (US time), military website The War Zone reported that two US Navy destroyers operating in the area under the US Central Command (CENTCOM) were equipped with the ODIN military laser system to deal with threats from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The area of responsibility of CENTCOM includes the Middle East, Central Asia and East Africa - places where the US is maintaining a large military presence amid security tensions and the risk of further escalating conflict.
According to reports, the destroyer USS Spruance is currently operating in the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, while the destroyer USS John Finn is on duty in the Indian Ocean.
A noteworthy point is that both warships are equipped with ODIN (Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy) systems - a type of energy-oriented weapon that uses lasers to jam or blind cameras, optical sensors on UAVs, warships, submarines and many other military equipment.
Unlike high-power laser weapons used to directly shoot down targets, ODIN mainly focuses on neutralizing the enemy's reconnaissance, tracking and guidance systems. This helps US warships have more defense options against UAV attacks at a much lower cost than using traditional interceptor missiles.
According to The War Zone, the US Navy has currently deployed guided-missile energy weapons on a total of 9 warships. This is seen as part of Washington's strategy to modernize defense capabilities in the face of the rapid development of cheap but potentially damaging drone technology.
Military experts assess that laser systems like ODIN have advantages thanks to fast reaction speed, continuous operation capability and low operating costs. Unlike interceptor missiles which are very expensive, laser weapons can handle multiple consecutive targets without consuming much ammunition.
In addition to the US, many other military powers such as China, Russia and Israel are also accelerating the development of laser weapons to cope with the risk of war with UAVs in the future.
The US Navy has not yet announced further information about plans to expand the deployment of ODIN systems or other types of laser weapons in the near future.
