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originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: James1982
No, it's more like this. That's the NG Guardian system testing on a KC-135. It's a bolt on system in testing, that detects any MANPADS or other SAM system launched at the aircraft, and fires a laser at it. The laser works best against an IR missile, by blinding the seeker head, so it can't see the target anymore.
originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: James1982
Because at this point lasers are just jamming systems, not actual weapons. The last attempt at putting a laser on a plane was the YAL-1A. The laser was so big that it took a 747-400 to carry it, and then they ran into problems with range, and weather causing problems, etc. Lasers with any kind of long range to them are still problematical for now. As jammers though, and short range systems like that, they work pretty well.