Laser guns are almost here

[DOC_Agren]

http://www.smartplanet.com/technology/blog/thinking-tech/navy-steps-closer-to-producing-ultimate-laser-weapon/6005/

[misterecho]

from spaceballs

Dark Helmet: Careful you idiot! I said across her nose, not up it!
Laser Gunner: Sorry sir! I'm doing my best!
Dark Helmet: Who made that man a gunner?
Major Asshole: I did sir. He's my cousin.
Dark Helmet: Who is he?
Colonel Sandurz: He's an asshole sir.
Dark Helmet: I know that! What's his name?
Colonel Sandurz: That is his name sir. Asshole, Major Asshole!
Dark Helmet: And his cousin?
Colonel Sandurz: He's an asshole too sir. Gunner's mate First Class Philip Asshole!
Dark Helmet: How many asholes do we have on this ship, anyway?
[Entire bridge crew stands up and raises a hand]
Entire Bridge Crew: Yo!
Dark Helmet: I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes!
[Dark Helmet pulls his face shield down]
Dark Helmet: Keep firing, assholes!

[Onix]

There have been a lot of interesting laser advancements. I've been following the news on them and tracking how much power lasers need to put out to do damage in game.

This is interesting http://www.ohgizmo.com/2007/08/17/raytheon-lasers-all-about-quantity-not-quality/ A larger surface area of the laser beam heats up an object quicker with less energy.

Now I happened on info about the ZEUS laser. It can destroy a mine or IED in 5-30 seconds at 300meters. It's optical power? 500 Watts. I'm starting to feel a little better. That means that even at a distance 500 Watts creates real heat on target. What would it do to a person? I have no idea, nobody has used it that way yet.

Looking at the 20Kw laser video I'm noticing that it detonates the mortar in a second or less. It's doing that to what must be thin sheet steel and starts to heat the interior cherry red. That would do a significant amount of damage, I have no idea how to quantify it. Over a full ten seconds the damage would be much more.

http://www.gizmag.com/laser-equipped-ground-vehicle-used-to-shoot-down-uav/10860/ This article shows that a 1Kw laser can take down a small UAV. . .

Here's an example of what a c-130 mounted Megawatt laser can do. http://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-amp-space/article/2009-10/pew-airborne-military-laser-takes-out-truck In five seconds it burns through the hood and engine of a truck. I wish I had more info on how high the plane was flying, then I could incorporate that into range class information.

One of the commentors says that this is only a 100Kw laser. Interesting.

And then their is this thought

cyclonexu
10/26/09 at 1:04 pm
Again this weapon makes O sense..A billion dollar weapons system to punch holes through 1980's Toyota pick-up trucks..REALLY? Whats the benefit? We are not fighting time traveling cyborgs here...NO we are fighting afghan hillbillies who live in mudd hutts and packing soviet era AK-47s and (maybe) a beat up RPG...To hell with lasers (cost to much) Whats the price tag on using a C-130 cargo aircraft to drop pallets of cinder blocks from 30 thousand feet? I would be a lot more afraid of a shower of cider blocks raining down around me than some stupid over priced laser that might work half the time.

I think his weapon concept has merit.

This is moving along faster than I was thinking. http://gizmodo.com/5590867/this-is-the-future-of-war all that blu-ray player technology is mounting up!

[cjoki]

They are also working on the railgun....
http://www.google.com/search?source=ig& ... 41fd3bd8af

[Onix]

Whoo hoo! A high power FEL! http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/18/navy-breaks-world-record-futuristic-laser-getting-real/

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

Various news outlets reported a couple of days ago scientists at Yale created and anti-laser. But don't celebrate yet - the interview specifically points out it wouldn't work as ray gun armor. However, it does have important implications in the field of optical computing. Now you may begin rejoicing.

[Onix]

More laser news. The navy "disabled" a small boat with a laser. Um, go lasers?
http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/04/navy-moves-step-closer-to-lasers-for.html

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

Does this mean I'm going to lose my bet that they'll deploy rail-guns before Directed Energy Weapons?

Actually, I'm a little disappointed. The video from BBC doesn't give hints as to range, or relative movement, but does hint at a fairly long dwell time on a black object. Lasers are pretty inefficient for naval use, and I would've hoped the money developing this was spent in a more constructive manner.

Space navies are a bit of a different story through. Can we please develop the space cruiser before its main guns?

[Rob Lang]

Sadly, CA, I think space navies are a little way down the line. Unless someone discovers oil in space.

[misterecho]

what about the possible energy possibilities of Helium 3. As the price of oil becomes astronomical, alternative energy sources like H3 may become viable options.

Or am I simply dreaming?