Anti-aircraft laser unveiled at Farnborough Airshow

[soda72]

They have a video showing a UAV being taken out by a 50 kilowatt laser.  
They also say it could be used againsts motors and rockets.

I doubt it's ready for any real time war conditions but who knows in 30 to 50 years it might become standard armament on naval ships..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10682693

[Bruv119]

omg  i'm going on Sunday wonder whether they will show it to the public  

wonder whether they have been training sharks also?   

[Rino]

     Apparently having air supremacy is not enough, we gotta have laser beams too.  Seems like the
guys getting bombed would like this system more than the ones that are developing it.

[Rino]

     Maybe they'll let you personalize the moon Bruv 

[Boxman]

I'm going to invest in whoever makes mirror-paint.

[Chalenge]

I thought they proved the best anti-aircraft laser was the cheap versions pointed in all directions to blind the pilots? 

[bozon]

There was already a prototype for a laser system to intercept short range ballistic armament (artillery, rockets...) called Nautilus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactical_High_Energy_Laser
It worked but was not worth the cost, effort and logistic complications.

[33Vortex]

Look up the USAF ABL project.

[smoe]

This may be why the new CVN-78 will have 3 times the electrical power output capacity then previous models.

[AirFlyer]

This may be why the new CVN-78 will have 3 times the electrical power output capacity then previous models.

I'd vote on that being more to do with the rail-guns being developed. Last I heard they were to be mounted on destroyers but it's only a small step to put them on a different boat.

[Saxman]

     Maybe they'll let you personalize the moon Bruv 

I immediately thought of this:



SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

[jay]

honestly i think laser tech is retarded and in some cases a waste of time an money

[trax1]

honestly i think laser tech is retarded and in some cases a waste of time an money

Why's that?  They can take down enemies from far off and they don't run outta ammo.  I think having these things on-board Naval ships would give the guys on them an extra layer of protection from any enemy threat, I think there great ideas. 

Another great application of lasers is the ones they got on Hummers now that they can use to set off an IED from a safe distance.

[jay]

Why's that?  They can take down enemies from far off and they don't run outta ammo.  I think having these things on-board Naval ships would give the guys on them an extra layer of protection from any enemy threat, I think there great ideas. 

Another great application of lasers is the ones they got on Hummers now that they can use to set off an IED from a safe distance.

planes and navy ships defense?? bleh IED exploding sure and i should have rephrased my statment was getting to handheld lasers (lightsabers only exeption)

[L0nGb0w]

Why's that?  They can take down enemies from far off and they don't run outta ammo.  I think having these things on-board Naval ships would give the guys on them an extra layer of protection from any enemy threat, I think there great ideas. 

Another great application of lasers is the ones they got on Hummers now that they can use to set off an IED from a safe distance.

Also, the precision of a laser virtually eliminates the chance of collateral damage