Reserve Officers Association

Lieutenant Michael V. Modeer was raised in Glen Carbon, Illinois and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2007 with a Bachelors of Science in Economics.

His first Surface tour was aboard USS KLAKRING (FFG 42) homeported in Mayport, Florida. He served as Combat Information Center and Electronic Warfare Officer during a SIXTH FLEET deployment, Force Protection and as VBSS Officer and later Ordnance/Gunnery Officer during two Basic Training and certification cycles and a FOURTH FLEET Counter-Narcotics deployment.

While attached to USS KLAKRING Modeer earned his designation as a Surface Warfare Officer.

In April of 2011, he reported to USS TAYLOR (FFG 50) as the Navigator and Lead VBSS Officer and served during the Basic Training and Certification Cycle and a FIFTH FLEET Counter-Piracy deployment supporting NATO's OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD. Throughout 2012 he led the VBSS team in over 60 Maritime Security Assistance Visit boarding's throughout the Horn of Africa region to include the Somali Basin, the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Oman.

In November 2012 Lt Modeer reported as Commanding Officer Navy Operational Support Center Peoria and currently lives in Washington Illinois with his Wife Hanna and daughter Vivian (3).

LT Modeer received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), but is most proud of his various units, and campaign awards including three Sea Service Ribbons earned with his shipmates.

NLT Thursday, 20 June contact MAJ Jackson at (309) 676-1602 with number of attendees and what type of dish you plan to bring.

FROM I-74 ONTHE EAST SIDE OF THE IL RIVER: After crossing the river on I-74 on the Murray Baker Bridge, take exit 92A for IL-40N. Knoxville Ave. Continue on Knoxville Ave. IL-40N for approx. 5.2 miles. Turn Right at traffic light just past the Hawk Agency onto Bethany Way then immediately left at stop sign onto Mt. Hawley Rd. Take the first right at entrance to Edgewild toward Collingwood Circle. Turn right on Collingwood Circle. Take the first right onto W. Morningside Drive.

Take the 3^rd left onto E. Coventry Lane. 111 East on your right is the only house on Coventry Lane with a flagpole flying Old Glory and a Navy flag.

The Navy will deploy a high-energy, solid-state directed energy, or “laser” weapon early next year on board the amphibious transport dock Ponce, Navy officials said Monday.

This will be the first such deployment of the Navy’s Laser Weapons System after it completed test shots last summer aboard the destroyer Dewey. The laser targeted fast boats and unmanned drones in the tests completed in the Pacific off the California coast.

Navy leaders have spent $40 million developing the solid-state laser weapons system over the past six years. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Greenert displayed a video of the laser weapons system at the Sea Air Space Expo on Monday at National Harbor, Md.

The laser weapon system began as a developmental effort by the U.S. Naval Sea Command and the Office of Naval Research.

“The CNO has tasked us to move this capability into the operational domain,” said Rear Adm. Matthew L. Klunder, Chief of Naval Research.“This is a new innovative technology to give sailors and Marines the advantage they need for the current and future fight.”

The idea is deploy a low-cost, high-energy effective weapon against a range of potential threats, including enemy drones, fast-attack boats and what is referred to as small boat swarm attacks wherein large numbers of small watercraft attack simultaneously.

The laser weapon system uses heat energy from the laser to destroy targets, Klunder explained. Each round is remarkably cheap compared to other forms of ammunition.

“One round of directed energy is equivalent to one U.S. dollar. This is real data for real performance,” Klunder said.

In fact, the laser weapons system can easily integrate with the electronics on-board Navy ships, most of which produce more than enough electrical power to support the weapon, said Rear Adm. Thomas J. Eccles, chief engineer and deputy commander for Naval Systems Engineering.

Thus far, the laser weapons system is a perfect 12 for 12 in test shots, said Eccles. At the Expo, senior Navy officers showed a video of a successful test engagement involving a test-firing of the laser weapon system on board the Dewey. The weapon successfully incinerated a “dummy” or mock UAS target.

The directed energy power emitted from the laser can be adjusted to lethal and non-lethal modes — giving ship commanders a range of options when it comes to executing their missions, Eccles said.

In fact, the senior Navy leaders explained that laser or directed energy weapons are likely to increase in use in the future as a way to supplement kinetic weapons or solutions, Navy leaders explained.

“As we look at a future of more and more energetic weapons like this, you can see efficiencies gained in a number of ways,” Klunder said.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy

Navy set to deploy laser aboard Ponce