Handheld Plasma Weapons

So. When do you think they'll be out? I'm thinking 2030 at the earliest, 2060 at the latest. They've been working on them. Unfortunately, though, it looks like we won't be shooting rapid-fire balls of blue light at each other for awhile though Its gonna be some pretty 'boring' stuff, mainly stuff you won't even recognize as plasma. But a man can dream eh? I hear they're working on a large plasma weapon for anti-tank use. So, what are your views?

Originally posted by Gooey
So. When do you think they'll be out? I'm thinking 2030 at the earliest, 2060 at the latest. They've been working on them. Unfortunately, though, it looks like we won't be shooting rapid-fire balls of blue light at each other for awhile though

Its gonna be some pretty 'boring' stuff, mainly stuff you won't even recognize as plasma. But a man can dream eh? I hear they're working on a large plasma weapon for anti-tank use. So, what are your views?

When do you think they'll be out?

if hand held then 50-100 years from now, if you are talking about existing plasma weapons that are feasible and capable of destroying enemy aircraft or missiles then russia has it , though it is a prototype weapon

Plasma-based weaponry is any group of weapons designed to use high-energy ionized gas or "plasma", typically created by superheating or lasers or superfrequency devices. . There has, been notable interest in its development. one plasma prototype weapon exists in russia which was developed by The Radio Instrument Building Research Institute under the supervision of Academician A. Avramenko .Their action is based on focusing beams of electromagnetic energy produced by laser or microwave radiation into the upper layers of the atmosphere. These beams would be able to defeat any target flying at supersonic or near-sonic speeds in the near future. A cloud of highly ionized air arises at the focus of the laser or microwave rays, at an altitude of up to 50 kilometers. Upon entering it, any object--a missile, an airplane, is deflected from its trajectory and disintegrates in response to the fantastic overloads arising due to the abrupt pressure difference between the surface and interior of the flying body. What is fundamental in this case is that the energy aimed by the terrestrial components of the plasma weapon--lasers and antennas--is concentrated not at the target itself but a little ahead of it. Rather than "incinerating" the missile or airplane, it "bumps" it out of trajectory
en.wikipedia.org...
warfare.ru...

I hear they're working on a large plasma weapon for anti-tank use

such a weapon may be very difficult to create because , it would need a fusion reactor to create the plasma and currently there is no feasible fusion reactor

[edit on 10-3-2007 by vK_man]

Yeah, it sort of seems to defeat the point. Missles work just fine in my opinion >.> But I guess its the fact that its a 'piercing' energy source that makes it powerful.

About three to five years would be my guess.

Watch this space

I have serious doubts that we will actually have handheld plasma based
weaponry, apart from maybe some sort of grenade.


As for plasma weapons in general, well there are a few problems with
plasma, one being the power needed, another being the plume effect.


However, if plasma weapons gets serious R&D, I think we will probably
see the first tank sized plasma cannons at the earliest by 2080, but most
likely not until sometime during the 22nd century.

Plasma Tazers?

*Chuckles*

(Actually though....That would be sort of...Well...Cool o.O....)

such a weapon may be very difficult to create because , it would need a fusion reactor to create the plasma and currently there is no feasible fusion reactor
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Just about anyone here can create a plasma by placing a cd in a microwave and turning it on for several minutes. There are hand held plasma cutters for metalworkers. I am pretty sure they are not reactor powered.

Originally posted by groingrinder
such a weapon may be very difficult to create because , it would need a fusion reactor to create the plasma and currently there is no feasible fusion reactor
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Just about anyone here can create a plasma by placing a cd in a microwave and turning it on for several minutes. There are hand held plasma cutters for metalworkers. I am pretty sure they are not reactor powered.

hmmm ..

Just about anyone here can create a plasma by placing a cd in a microwave and turning it on for several minutes.

what is a cd made up of ?? plastic which melts at temperature greater than 200 celsisus,so such plasma cannot be a good weapon against tanks or armored troops ,

seems you did not understand , the problem with plasma in long rnange is that it dissipates quickly , and yes

There are hand held plasma cutters for metalworkers.

yes ,these cutters are powered by electricity coming from far away thermal or hydroelectric power plants and or combustive fuels like acetalane ,

so plasma weapons for tanks will be need a power source like a fusion reactor or nano battery , which is still years away

It might not be too far off. I read on Wikipedia that there was something called Project Marauder (Magnetically Accelerated Ring to Achieve Ultra-high Directed Energy and Radiation) in 1993 which had the purpose of developing a plasma based weapon.

Could be bullcrap though.

www.youtube.com...

Beam weopons yes.... not necessarily plasma based.
My guess is that they are obviouly looking at all avenues and presently it would make sense not to limit their options with respect to where to spend their R&D dollars with respect to beam weopons....

As no on really knows which is going to make the big break through first...
But I would guess that the power source is obviously the biggest stumbling block...... as if that hurdle could be overcome the sky would be the limit as that is the major bottle neck with respect to producing beam weopons like a star trek phaser for example.....

So taking this obvious fact into account i would say that military R&D would be focusing their research into areas where radiation or particle beams could be used to great effect to compromise various biological processes.......
As if you know which of the bodies systems can be affected and by what form of "beam" then you only need a fraction of the power....I.E.. your then not trying to melt a steel bulk head just give someone a cardiac arrest or epilepic fit ETC.......

Plasma is too new of a technology to be persued now, But EMP and lazer technology is hot right now and currently in developement

my math teacher who like the tenth smartest person in the world whos also a millionare said that its a gas in your blood and cannot be used as a weapon like in halo

Originally posted by mr man
my math teacher who like the tenth smartest person in the world whos also a millionare said that its a gas in your blood and cannot be used as a weapon like in halo

We use the woprd Plasma to mean different things.

Plasma, when talking about biological things in indeed a part of blood,
and plasm is a part of cells.
Oh, and blood plasma is a liquid medium, not a gaseous substance.

Howevwer, in Physics the word Plasma is used to denote the fourth
state of matter, superheated gas that have been stripped of electrons,
that has properties likreminescent of both a gas and a liquid.


Some links about the blood plasma and 4th state Plasma.
Blood Plasma
Plasma (Physics, 4th state)

[edit on 3/25/2007 by iori_komei]

ahhh ya i asked my science teacher that and he said some thing like that

I personally dont think we will ever see man portable Plasma weapons. Not for the fact there impossible, in theory they could very well work. I just think by the time we have the technology to make them practical such as Super powerful & small energy sources and a mastery of magnetic fields needed to contain and launch plasma we will use that tech in better ways.

If you can contain and launch super heated plasma in a practical way well then you also created a systems that can launch material much more destructive then plasma.

Such a system could be used to fire Anti-matter charges. There is no better energy storage method in the universe (1/10) of a gram equals the total propulsive energy of the Space Shuttle. For the destructive power any man portable system would require such a tiny amount Anti-matter would be needed and you could carry millions of rounds.

You could even dial up or dial down the power to really an level you want. Taking human sized targets one minute, then add a little more anti-matter to each charge and you could be leveling whole buildings with the same rifle the next second.

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
I personally dont think we will ever see man portable Plasma weapons. Not for the fact there impossible, in theory they could very well work. I just think by the time we have the technology to make them practical such as Super powerful & small energy sources and a mastery of magnetic fields needed to contain and launch plasma we will use that tech in better ways.

If you can contain and launch super heated plasma in a practical way well then you also created a systems that can launch material much more destructive then plasma.

Such a system could be used to fire Anti-matter charges. There is no better energy storage method in the universe (1/10) of a gram equals the total propulsive energy of the Space Shuttle. For the destructive power any man portable system would require such a tiny amount Anti-matter would be needed and you could carry millions of rounds.

You could even dial up or dial down the power to really an level you want. Taking human sized targets one minute, then add a little more anti-matter to each charge and you could be leveling whole buildings with the same rifle the next second.

anti -matter is not a practical idea , i would prefer a pure fusion device or plasma charged by micro-singularity , or accerlating plasma to relavistic velocities , it will be as destructive as anti-matter and will be easier to control and maintain

Originally posted by vK_man

anti -matter is not a practical idea , i would prefer a pure fusion device or plasma charged by micro-singularity , or accerlating plasma to relavistic velocities , it will be as destructive as anti-matter and will be easier to control and maintain

Anti-matter is just as practical as any Hand held Plasma weapon. To make a practical plasma rifle you must contain the plasma in a magnetic field or tunnel after it levels the weapon. There is no way to make a practical one without doing that.

That level of magnetic mastery is all thats needed to work with anti-matter. By the time we can also make pure fusion devices that can fit inside a hand held rifle, controling anti-matter is cake by comparison.

Creating or using a micro-singularity is lightyears beyond even this stuff if at all possible.

Suggesting using plasma accelerated to speeds close to the speed of light is the least practical theory suggested IMO. To move even a single atom half the speed of light in a vacum requires enormously large amounts of energy. Theres not enough energy in the entire universe combined to push a single atom all the way to light speed even.

These would have to be atoms accelerated from dead stop to near LS in the short distance of a rifle shot to target in earth's atmosphere. Making insane energy demands even more insane.

Personally, I'd rather have a laser rifle. Quiet and accurate, the perfect sniper's weapon. I think you can even have the beam infrared and not be given away by that red dot.

Originally posted by uberarcanist
Personally, I'd rather have a laser rifle. Quiet and accurate, the perfect sniper's weapon. I think you can even have the beam infrared and not be given away by that red dot.

Military lasers have all been in the infrared spectrum and quite invisible to the human eye. Though with the right optics you can see the entire beam like in the movies.

Laser rifles are much more closer then plasma or anti-matter, To make a hand held version really you would just need some new super compact energy source, Nothing really more exotic then that.