US Military Will Install Laser Turrets on Bombers and Fighter Jets

reply to post by burntheships


Those are some impressive cells, but it would seem the aircraft would be extremely limited in it's use. I mean, how many " shots " can be fired before the cells are dry, and need recharging? Can the aircraft recharge these cells in flight? The amount of energy involved is still enormous, my question is more along the lines of can the aircraft itself produce the energy required to recharge these cells or would they have to be changed out upon landing/refueling/rearming.

Impressive none the less, and I'm sure this information may not be readily available, it's just a question that popped in my head.

reply to post by Hijinx


Probably right on the details available, and even if I could post it,
its already out of date.

However, I at least think we were pointed in the right direction.

reply to post by burntheships


I had heard of this but I never thought I would EVER see this become public.

I was watching the news one day and I nearly fell out of my chair as right on the TV was a video of the U.S. Navy testing the Free Electron Laser...FEL's...Targetting System on a small rocking craft at sea.

The test was to see if the targetting system could hold on target as the Laser was fired from a ship to that craft as they both rocked. This FEL was not Nuclear Powered and this was a low level test but the cat was out of the bag.

Never thought I would see it go public!

Split Infinity

reply to post by SplitInfinity


With you on that, they still have tech on craft that they keep bagged.

Not sure as to the reasoning, although it could be a game of tag.

reply to post by burntheships


The only thing I can think of as a reason for them to go public is they have decided to install this on all carriers and Aegis Cruisers.

Still...I thought they would install this on land and ships covertly.

Split Infinity

reply to post by SplitInfinity


Perhaps they have...you just never know.
Clues do pop up, especially from the coasts.

reply to post by burntheships


Of what I know there is a Land Based FEL in Alaska and Canada. The FEL is electric but uses a Nuclear Reactor to generate the necessary power to properly run it. How they got Canada to go along with them installing a Nuclear Reactor on Canadian soil...I just don't know...probably a lot of cash and a few trucks of Molson! LOL!

The best place to station an FEL is at sea as it would be mobile.

Split Infinity

reply to post by SplitInfinity


60M most to the FEL...

www.wired.com...

reply to post by burntheships


That link is difficult to open for some reason...what is it about?

Split Infinity

Using Dr. Evil for inspiration?

www.lolwtfcomics.com...

reply to post by ConspiracyNutjob


Hey...don't laugh.

The U.S. Navy has a program that has surgically implanted a Neural Processor into the brain of various sharks. The sharks can be controlled to swim and detect enemy subs as well as follow enemy ships.

Split Infinity

Originally posted by burntheships
reply to post by eXia7

 

Yes, sure they have that in the works, I do recall that article from RT just in December...
rt.com...

seems that got tucked away here in the back corner, and someone "debunked it"

tee hee hee.....

Well guess what, your right.

The debunking was over it being a death ray or on a drone, and that it would be air to air instead of anti-personnel. So far , all correct.

BTW you can use it for creating "chaff" by popping a bunch of plasma blooms.

reply to post by Zaphod58


ThinZAG and Hellads will fit in a much smaller space but take a LOT of power, maybe a megawatt to spin that 150kw module gang. Takes its own APU usually.

reply to post by SplitInfinity


FELs, its slow loading. Its just a curious article in that is says
they beat a record, yet tells you nada on how.

reply to post by burntheships


See now I heard that the Nuclear Powered FEL has a one second refire rate.

Still...it is understandable that a system such as the FEL that has been secret for so long...would have people with issues talking about it...even if it is sanctioned.

Split Infinity

reply to post by SplitInfinity


I've been meaning to ask you ,I kept hearing about Excalibur being a neutral partical beam using a projected magnetic beam to keep it coherent.
Is there anything you have on that?

reply to post by cavtrooper7


You know...I personally have not head this name used but for some reason I believe I remember someone else here bringing that name up,

I am not saying it doesn't exist...it's just that there are so many Covert Programs going on and sometimes the names are changed if there is a leak...and most of the time that leak comes from some idiot in Congress...but I will think about it and see if I can remember.

Split Infinity

reply to post by SplitInfinity


FELs also emit radiation. It's sort of a problem in a confined space like an airframe, even if you ignore the weight and power reqiurements. CARMs, on the other hand, do not.

reply to post by Bedlam


The FEL will be a Heavy Use Laser specific but not limited to Large Targets and Missile Defense of both Carrier Groups and the States and Territories of the United States. The FEL will also be capable of offensive uses such as it's ability to have it's beam bounced of a Satellite and vaporize ground targets.

Split Infinity