WATCH: US Navy tests laser weapon; shoots down drone mid-air

(Video by Hindustan Times)

The US Navy's 'USS Portland' ship had on May 16 tested a laser weapon capable of destroying aerial, sea, and land-based threats, a press release by the Pacific Fleet six days later informed, adding that the new weapon will be "redefining war at sea for the Navy."

The 'USS Portland' is the 11th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship of the United States of America Navy, the May 22 release elaborated. The laser weapon that was fired is formally called the "Solid-State Laser-Technology Maturation Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) MK 2 MOD"

In pics: World's most powerful military nations of 2020

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Using over 50 factors to determine a country’s PowerIndex score, the Global Firepower 2020 list ranks the most powerful military nations in the world. The list ranks 138 advanced and lesser-developed nations, based on parameters such as geographical location, logistical and financial capabilities, availability of natural resources and military might. Here's a look at the top 50 most powerful military nations according to the list.

The laser weapon was fired over the Pacific Ocean to bring down an unmanned aerial vehicle, for the purpose of testing.

"By conducting advanced at sea tests against UAVs and small crafts, we will gain valuable information on the capabilities of the Solid State Laser Weapons System Demonstrator against potential threats," asserted USS Portland commanding officer Captain Karrey Sanders in Friday's press release.

"The Solid State Laser Weapons System Demonstrator is a unique capability the Portland gets to test and operate for the Navy while paving the way for future weapons systems. With this new advanced capability, we are redefining war at sea for the Navy," Captain Karrey Sanders went on to state.

The video released by the US Pacific Fleet, headquartered at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, shows a laser beam emerging from the weapon system on the USS Portland and then goes on to show a drone hit by the same.

Developed by Naval Research and Northrop Grumman, the Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) on the USS Portland demonstrated the "first system-level implementation of a high-energy class solid-state laser", the US Pacific Fleet statement added.

Directed-energy weapons (DEWs) in including lasers have been under development in the US since the 1960s. 'USS Portland' already has the US military's first fully approved laser platform Laser Weapon System (LaWS) since 2019 and the LWSD is the more powerful version of system.

According to a 2018 report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies report, the LWSD is a 150-kilowatt laser while the LaWS uses 30 kilowatts. The LaWS, too, can shoot down small aircraft.

In pics: World's most powerful military nations of 2020

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50. Denmark

PowerIndex: 0.7878 (0.0000 considered 'perfect')

Population: 5,809,502
Available manpower: 2,590,457
Reaching military age annually: 77,444
Active personnel: 16,000
Reserve personnel: 45,500
Aircraft strength: 113
Combat tanks: 57
Naval assets: 74

49. Chile

PowerIndex: 0.7668

Population: 17,925,262
Available manpower: 8,657,902
Reaching military age annually: 281,171
Active personnel: 77,000
Reserve personnel: 40,000
Aircraft strength: 282
Combat tanks: 300
Naval assets: 69

48. Syria

PowerIndex: 0.7644

Population: 19,454,263
Available manpower: 12,450,728
Reaching military age annually: 535,381
Active personnel: 142,000
Reserve personnel: 0
Aircraft strength: 456
Combat tanks: 4,135
Naval assets: 56

47. Uzbekistan

PowerIndex: 0.7365

Population: 30,023,709
Available manpower: 15,912,566
Reaching military age annually: 601,495
Active personnel: 50,000
Reserve personnel: 0
Aircraft strength: 185
Combat tanks: 420
Naval assets: 0

46. United Arab Emirates

PowerIndex: 0.7265

Population: 9,701,315
Available manpower: 5,820,789
Reaching military age annually: 78,790
Active personnel: 64,0000
Reserve personnel: 0
Aircraft strength: 538
Combat tanks: 434
Naval assets: 75

45. Bangladesh

PowerIndex: 0.7066

Population: 159,453,001
Available manpower: 78,913,289
Reaching military age annually: 3,060,573
Active personnel: 160,000
Reserve personnel: 0
Aircraft strength: 177
Combat tanks: 276
Naval assets: 112

44. Nigeria

PowerIndex: 0.7007

Population: 203,452,505
Available manpower: 77,108,499
Reaching military age annually: 3,454,461
Active personnel: 120,000
Reserve personnel: 0
Aircraft strength: 129
Combat tanks: 253
Naval assets: 75

43. Peru

PowerIndex: 0.6841

Population: 31,331,228
Available manpower: 15,352,302
Reaching military age annually: 621,768
Active personnel: 90,000
Reserve personnel: 190,000
Aircraft strength: 273
Combat tanks: 146
Naval assets: 60

42. Malaysia

PowerIndex: 0.6523

Population: 31,809,660
Available manpower: 15,201,837
Reaching military age annually: 526,142
Active personnel: 110,000
Reserve personnel: 300,000
Aircraft strength: 170
Combat tanks: 74
Naval assets: 61

41. Argentina

PowerIndex: 0.6521

Population: 44,694,198
Available manpower: 20,179,430
Reaching military age annually: 670,663
Active personnel: 83,515
Reserve personnel: 0
Aircraft strength: 227
Combat tanks: 370
Naval assets: 49

40. Romania

PowerIndex: 0.6461

Population:

21,457,116
Available manpower: 11,007,501
Reaching military age annually: 225,379
Active personnel: 70,000
Reserve personnel: 50,000
Aircraft strength: 143
Combat tanks: 943
Naval assets: 48

39. Venezuela

PowerIndex: 0.6449

Population: 31,689,176
Available manpower: 14,260,129
Reaching military age annually: 584,665
Active personnel: 343,000
Reserve personnel: 8,000
Aircraft strength: 260
Combat tanks: 390
Naval assets: 49

38. Norway

PowerIndex: 0.6103

Population: 5,372,191
Available manpower: 2,170,365
Reaching military age annually: 70,841
Active personnel: 24,000
Reserve personnel: 40,000
Aircraft strength: 150
Combat tanks: 52
Naval assets: 62

37. Colombia

PowerIndex: 0.6045

Population: 48,168,996
Available manpower: 24,084,498
Reaching military age annually: 839,509
Active personnel: 295,000
Reserve personnel: 35,000
Aircraft strength: 469
Combat tanks: 0
Naval assets: 453

36. Netherlands

PowerIndex: 0.5919

Population: 17,151,228
Available manpower: 7,820,960
Reaching military age annually: 196,384
Active personnel: 35,500
Reserve personnel: 5,000
Aircraft strength: 168
Combat tanks: 18
Naval assets: 63

35. Myanmar

PowerIndex: 0.5691

Population: 55,622,506
Available manpower: 30,258,643
Reaching military age annually: 1,025,375
Active personnel: 406,000
Reserve personnel: 0
Aircraft strength: 276
Combat tanks: 434
Naval assets: 187

34. Mexico

PowerIndex: 0.5574

Population: 125,959,205
Available manpower: 60,460,418
Reaching military age annually: 2,154,809
Active personnel: 277,000
Reserve personnel: 81,500
Aircraft strength: 484
Combat tanks: 0
Naval assets: 189

33. Czechia (Czech Republic)

PowerIndex: 0.5531

Population: 10,686,269
Available manpower: 5,011,174
Reaching military age annually: 99,087
Active personnel: 25,000
Reserve personnel: 0
Aircraft strength: 95
Combat tanks: 116
Naval assets: 0

32. Switzerland

PowerIndex: 0.5459

Population: 8,292,809
Available manpower: 3,632,250
Reaching military age annually: 90,334
Active personnel: 21,000
Reserve personnel: 220,000
Aircraft strength: 169
Combat tanks: 326
Naval assets: 0

31. South Africa

PowerIndex: 0.5405

Population: 55,380,210
Available manpower: 26,250,220
Reaching military age annually: 963,908
Active personnel: 66,300
Reserve personnel: 15,000
Aircraft strength: 226
Combat tanks: 195
Naval assets: 30

30. Greece

PowerIndex: 0.5311

Population: 10,761,523
Available manpower: 4,993,347
Reaching military age annually: 104,755
Active personnel: 200,000
Reserve personnel: 550,000
Aircraft strength: 566
Combat tanks: 1,355
Naval assets: 116

29. Sweden

PowerIndex: 0.5304

Population:

10,040,995
Available manpower: 4,116,808
Reaching military age annually: 103,250
Active personnel: 30,000
Reserve personnel: 0
Aircraft strength: 204
Combat tanks: 126
Naval assets: 63

28. Algeria

PowerIndex: 0.4659

Population: 41,657,488
Available manpower: 20,741,263
Reaching military age annually: 685,686
Active personnel: 130,000
Reserve personnel: 150,000
Aircraft strength: 551
Combat tanks: 880
Naval assets: 201

27. Ukraine

PowerIndex: 0.4457

Population:

43,952,299
Available manpower: 22,195,911
Reaching military age annually: 469,444
Active personnel: 255,000
Reserve personnel: 1,000,000
Aircraft strength: 297
Combat tanks: 2,026
Naval assets: 25

26. Taiwan

PowerIndex: 0.4396

Population:

23,545,963
Available manpower: 12,196,809
Reaching military age annually: 300,041
Active personnel: 165,000
Reserve personnel: 1,675,000
Aircraft strength: 744
Combat tanks: 1,180
Naval assets: 117

25. North Korea

PowerIndex: 0.3718

Population:

25,381,085
Available manpower: 13,045,878
Reaching military age annually: 415,068
Active personnel: 1,280,000
Reserve personnel: 600,000
Aircraft strength: 949
Combat tanks: 6,045
Naval assets: 984

24. Canada

PowerIndex: 0.3712

Population: 35,881,659
Available manpower: 16,110,865
Reaching military age annually: 427,524
Active personnel: 71,500
Reserve personnel: 30,000
Aircraft strength: 385
Combat tanks: 80
Naval assets: 64

23. Thailand

PowerIndex: 0.3571

Population: 68,615,858
Available manpower: 35,543,014
Reaching military age annually: 1,094,725
Active personnel: 360,850
Reserve personnel: 200,000
Aircraft strength: 570
Combat tanks: 841
Naval assets: 292

22. Vietnam

PowerIndex: 0.3559

Population: 97,040,334
Available manpower: 51,043,216
Reaching military age annually: 1,651,274
Active personnel: 482,000
Reserve personnel: 5,000,000
Aircraft strength: 293
Combat tanks: 2,615
Naval assets: 65

21. Poland

PowerIndex: 0.3397

Population: 38,420,687
Available manpower: 18,826,137
Reaching military age annually: 463,123
Active personnel: 118,000
Reserve personnel: 75,400
Aircraft strength: 457
Combat tanks: 1,069
Naval assets: 87

20. Spain

PowerIndex: 0.3321

Population: 49,331,076
Available manpower: 23,136,275
Reaching military age annually: 374,808
Active personnel: 124,000
Reserve personnel: 15,500
Aircraft strength: 512
Combat tanks: 327
Naval assets: 77

19. Australia

PowerIndex: 0.3225

Population: 23,470,145
Available manpower: 10,808,002
Reaching military age annually: 282,654
Active personnel: 60,000
Reserve personnel: 19,700
Aircraft strength: 464
Combat tanks: 59
Naval assets: 48

18. Israel

PowerIndex: 0.3111

Population: 8,424,904
Available manpower: 3,647,983
Reaching military age annually: 121,113
Active personnel: 170,000
Reserve personnel: 445,000
Aircraft strength: 589
Combat tanks: 2,760
Naval assets: 65

17. Saudi Arabia

PowerIndex: 0.2973

Population: 33,091,113
Available manpower: 17,703,745
Reaching military age annually: 583,161
Active personnel: 478,000
Reserve personnel: 325,000
Aircraft strength: 879
Combat tanks: 1,062
Naval assets: 55

16. Indonesia

PowerIndex: 0.2544

Population: 262,787,403
Available manpower: 130,868,127
Reaching military age annually: 4,540,339
Active personnel: 400,000
Reserve personnel: 400,000
Aircraft strength: 462
Combat tanks: 313
Naval assets: 282

15. Pakistan

PowerIndex: 0.2364

Population: 207,862,518
Available manpower: 96,344,277
Reaching military age annually: 4,338,383
Active personnel: 654,000
Reserve personnel: 550,000
Aircraft strength: 1,372
Combat tanks: 2,200
Naval assets: 100

14. Iran

PowerIndex: 0.2282

Population: 83,024,745
Available manpower: 47,324,105
Reaching military age annually: 1,394,476
Active personnel: 523,000
Reserve personnel: 350,000
Aircraft strength: 509
Combat tanks: 2,056
Naval assets: 398

13. Turkey

PowerIndex: 0.2189

Population: 81,257,239
Available manpower: 41,847,478
Reaching military age annually: 1,406,075
Active personnel: 355,000
Reserve personnel: 380,000
Aircraft strength: 1,055
Combat tanks: 2,622
Naval assets: 149

12. Germany

PowerIndex: 0.2186

Population: 80,457,737
Available manpower: 37,010,559
Reaching military age annually: 7,905,455
Active personnel: 182,650
Reserve personnel: 30,000
Aircraft strength: 712
Combat tanks: 245
Naval assets: 80

11. Italy

PowerIndex: 0.2093

Population:

62,246,674
Available manpower: 28,011,003
Reaching military age annually: 567,223
Active personnel: 175,000
Reserve personnel: 182,000
Aircraft strength: 860
Combat tanks: 200
Naval assets: 249

10. Brazil

PowerIndex: 0.1988

Population: 208,846,892
Available manpower: 107,764,996
Reaching military age annually: 3,383,821
Active personnel: 334,500
Reserve personnel: 1,340,000
Aircraft strength: 715
Combat tanks: 437
Naval assets: 112

9. Egypt

PowerIndex: 0.1889

Population: 99,413,317
Available manpower: 42,946,553
Reaching military age annually: 1,551,229
Active personnel: 440,000
Reserve personnel: 480,000
Aircraft strength: 1,054
Combat tanks: 4,295
Naval assets: 316

8. United Kingdom

PowerIndex: 0.1768

Population: 65,105,246
Available manpower: 29,948,413
Reaching military age annually: 745,117
Active personnel: 192,660
Reserve personnel: 83,000
Aircraft strength: 733
Combat tanks: 227
Naval assets: 88

7. France

PowerIndex: 0.1702

Population:

67,364,357
Available manpower: 30,111,868
Reaching military age annually: 776,483
Active personnel: 268,000
Reserve personnel: 183,635
Aircraft strength: 1,229
Combat tanks: 528
Naval assets: 180

6. South Korea

PowerIndex: 0.1488

Population: 51,418,097
Available manpower: 25,709,049
Reaching military age annually: 632,443
Active personnel: 580,000
Reserve personnel: 3,100,000
Aircraft strength: 1,649
Combat tanks: 2,614
Naval assets: 234

5. Japan

PowerIndex: 0.1441

Population:

126,168,156
Available manpower: 53,873,803
Reaching military age annually: 11,782,201
Active personnel: 247,160
Reserve personnel: 56,000
Aircraft strength: 1,561
Combat tanks: 1,004
Naval assets: 155

4. India

PowerIndex: 0.0953

Population: 1,296,834,042
Available manpower: 622,480,340
Reaching military age annually: 23,116,044
Active personnel: 1,444,000
Reserve personnel: 2,100,000
Aircraft strength: 2,123
Combat tanks: 4,292
Naval assets: 285

3. China

PowerIndex: 0.0691

Population: 1,384,688,986
Available manpower: 752,855,402
Reaching military age annually: 19,614,518
Active personnel: 2,183,000
Reserve personnel: 510,000
Aircraft strength: 3,210
Combat tanks: 3,500
Naval assets: 777

2. Russia

PowerIndex: 0.0681

Population: 142,122,776
Available manpower: 69,640,160
Reaching military age annually: 1,306,449
Active personnel: 1,013,628
Reserve personnel: 2,000,000
Aircraft strength: 4,163
Combat tanks: 12,950
Naval assets: 603

1. United States

PowerIndex: 0.0606

Population: 329,256,465
Available manpower: 144,872,845
Reaching military age annually: 4,188,274
Active personnel: 1,400,000
Reserve personnel: 860,000
Aircraft strength: 13,264
Combat tanks: 6,289
Naval assets: 490

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The laser weapon was fired over the Pacific Ocean to bring down an unmanned aerial vehicle, for the purpose of testing.

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Source: https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/watch-us-navy-tests-laser-weapon-shoots-down-drone-mid-air/ar-BB14vN7p?li=AAgfYGb