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AFSOC to test laser armed gunship next year

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posted on Sep, 20 2017 @ 05:27 PM
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General Webb has come out and said they are going to test the laser armed gunship this next year. The project began in 2015 to see if the AFSOC could use lasers on gunships in the near future. They wanted to mount either a 60 kW or 120 kW laser in an AC-130. Since dod has already tested a 150 kW laser at HELSTF at WSMR, I suspect it will be the latter power.

I wonder how open AFSOC will be with the outcome.

www.defensetech.org...

Psst. We are not all skeptics or zealots. Sometimes we are in between.



posted on Sep, 20 2017 @ 05:32 PM
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a reply to: anzha

I remember reading a bit about the mW range laser they tested in the 747. Has the technology advanced to the point where a 60 kW laswer would accomplish the desired effect?



posted on Sep, 20 2017 @ 05:47 PM
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a reply to: face23785

The laser on the YAL-1 was a continuous wave chemical laser.

The new solid state lasers are, iirc, pulsed. This means you can get shock effects from a laser from explosive evaporation of surface material. That can't be done with a continuous wave laser.

For what its worth, a 10 kW laser pulse, based on testing with a kelvar helmet and accelerometers was found to be enough to cause whiplash. Imagine what something 12x as powerful might induce...

Edit: we will see if it is enough. That's the point of the test. Also put away ideas of john woo style laser blasts.
edit on 20-9-2017 by anzha because: Freaking autocorrect correction, added caommentary



posted on Sep, 20 2017 @ 05:57 PM
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a reply to: anzha

Good info.



posted on Sep, 20 2017 @ 09:13 PM
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The day that the mighty Brrrrrrrrrrttttttt and thump thump thump of the Spooky is replaced with a PEW PEW PEW will be a very sad one.



posted on Sep, 20 2017 @ 09:35 PM
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a reply to: Forensick
Considering the effectiveness I have observed from some decade old existing THEL's, these babies can and will be as destructive and more precise. Its like having your cannon on silencer and it cleanly slices its target from existence.

Something like this would be wonderful in an unmanned platform for instance to barbeque the Rocket man, or the Venezuelan leader perhaps ...



posted on Sep, 21 2017 @ 01:58 AM
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a reply to: worldstarcountry

I have no doubt they will become very effective munitions, thinking THAAD or other types of defence and pinpoint strike.

But it's like when Elon Musks Tesla went 0-100 in 2.5 seconds, great, but where is the V8 roar gone!



posted on Sep, 21 2017 @ 02:01 AM
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a reply to: worldstarcountry




Considering the effectiveness I have observed from some decade old existing THEL's, these babies can and will be as destructive and more precise.


If the weather is nice, indeed.



posted on Sep, 21 2017 @ 09:46 AM
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a reply to: Phage

Interestingly, high powered lasers can make clouds rain.



posted on Sep, 21 2017 @ 11:20 AM
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a reply to: Phage
Are you saying clouds will interfere with a High Energy Laser?? What kind of environmental conditions would inhibit the effectiveness of a High energy laser fire from lets say 32,000 feet??

Plus, doesn't it take more energy to fire the rail gun??



posted on Sep, 21 2017 @ 11:49 AM
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a reply to: anzha

Considering what they did to the armament of the Block 10, they need the laser. At least the 20 put the 105 back.



posted on Sep, 21 2017 @ 04:23 PM
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a reply to: Phage

Above certain altitudes, its pretty clear...

And if you can keep your enemies below 30k feet, you have substantially reduced their range.




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