US Air Force general says laser warfare in the sky is coming sooner than you think

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
a reply to: Bedlam

I thought lasers were old hat anyway

Plasma+laser.....PHASERS!

a reply to: lostbook

So the big selling point is "a lower "cost per shot" " ...?

Sounds ...um... ambitious? Challenging? Noble? ....the word escapes me.

originally posted by: soficrow
a reply to: lostbook

So the big selling point is "a lower "cost per shot" " ...?

Sounds ...um... ambitious? Challenging? Noble? ....the word escapes me.

the word you look for is Thrifty.

I think its called a plasma railgun no warhead all the boom FTW!

I remember reading somewhere that using lasers alone a nuclear type explosion can be made and leaves none of the messy nuclear radiation and fallout.

a reply to: Bedlam

AAL was shooting down AIM-9 sized targets in 1975 under live testing.

originally posted by: Forensick
Have we tested them fitted to sharks yet? I only ask because Sharks aren't as dangerous as they used to be, in fact you are more likely to be killed by a vending machine falling on you.

I am more nervous in the canteen than I am in the sea.

This could redress the balance to sharks.

Cool, a post on sharks and lasers and I didn't use the work frikken once.

a reply to: MrMasterMinder

In texas I had a ship come down onto the property and only noticed it was present when it shone an invisible beam into a broken down mini-van driver side window which then bounced to the windshield and illuminated it with bright bluish light that faded slowly over the next few hours. The ship later revealed itself with a light flicking on and zipping at light speed mach 50 100ft south and then down into the trees toward the ground and disappeared and reactivated it's stealth mode.

So lasers and beam technology in general along with propulsion,stealth, and collision avoidance systems possibly coupled with some kind of pilot AI or otherwise quantum based system is what we are currently running. Pretty sure it was US stuff as they had been harassing me for being a knuckle head for awhile.

a reply to: stormbringer1701

Battle wounds heal but NOT the ones on the inside...you can't hit nobody.

a reply to: yuppa

I'm thinking it would be cool to manipulate gravity the same way lasers manipulate and work with light.

Howabout an anti matter laser beam or a fission laser! I think those would give you a nuclear type of boom without the fallout!

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
a reply to: yuppa

I'm thinking it would be cool to manipulate gravity the same way lasers manipulate and work with light.

you and me both pardner.

How about a fission directed energy rail gun type of cannon device?

There's no operable laser or direct energy weapon anywhere, simply because it is highly inefficient to have one. A bullet, or cannon shell, or missile is much more efficient, effective and less prone to deterioration and malfunctions.

a reply to: Flanker86

Really? The USS Ponce may disagree with you. They've had a working laser on board for months now. And have been using it with no problems.

originally posted by: Flanker86
There's no operable laser or direct energy weapon anywhere, simply because it is highly inefficient to have one. A bullet, or cannon shell, or missile is much more efficient, effective and less prone to deterioration and malfunctions.

but you have a bloated logistics chain and excess mass. LASERs don't need a convoy to truck in ammo and powder. furthermore no one needs to tool up a factory to make LASER Shots. a laser's ammo factory cannot be bombed, shelled or sabotaged. the logisitcal support personnel billets can be converted to other specialties or combat arms.

And As Zaphod pointed out there are already operationally deployed Laser weapons. We have them and the UK and Germany are deploying thier own versions. the German one looks pretty cool.

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