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AGA: Arbeitsgruppe Physik und Abrüstung

AGA 8: Preventive Arms Control

AGA 8.2: Talk

Friday, October 1, 2021, 13:00–13:30, H8

Renaissance of Directed Energy Weapons? — •Götz Neuneck — IFSH University of Hamburg

The call to introduce Directed Energy Weapons on the battlefield goes back to Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, but is renewed from time to time. Russia's President Putin introduced a new ground-based combat laser (Peresvet)and U.S. President Trump's Missile Defense Review calls for new laser weapons for defense purposes. The development of high-power lasers for research and industrial purposes has been improved significantly. The talk analyses the current state ofthe art for laser sources, their dual-use potential and possible solutions for arms control. Esp. in the era of emerging power rivalry it is utmost important to organize dialogues with conflicting states.