US Patent 11402181 Weapons system having at least two HEL effectors

A weapons system with at least two HEL effectors, which have at least one beam guidance system, the use of only one laser source or one pump source for the at least two HEL effectors is provided. The beam guidance systems of the HEL effectors resort to the common laser source or common pump source. An optical link of the common laser source or of the common pump source with the beam guidance system, be it direct or indirect, is implemented by means of at least one optical switching unit, and so at least one functional, complete HEL effector of the weapons system is provided to defend against threats.