Dawn of the Airborne Laser

Posted by michael on Friday March 7, 2003 @11:56AM from the nothing-faster-than-a-laser dept.

Yonzie writes "As you may have heard, there are a number of competing franchises working on a functional laser weapon. Popular Science has an interesting story about `The Wall of Fire', an airborne laser designed to fit in the belly of a 747. Apparently, this is powerful and precise enough to destroy enemy intercontinental and intermediate-range missiles in mid-flight. I can imagine the use of laser turrets as protection against missiles, but I really can't see the use of a laser mounted in a 747. IMHO, it's way too slow compared to the missiles, and will not be able to scramble fast enough." This is the big daddy of the JSF laser that we've mentioned before.

1 of 493 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Re:yeah, but you got to hit the missles early by ScottKin · 2003-03-07 12:33 · Score: 5, Interesting

Heat *is* heat - and when you apply the ammount of heat generated by the ABL System to a Solid fuel, it's going to create quite a big "boom".

Most model rockets today are powered by solid-fuel engines, and if you expose them to heat they'll do wonderfully-interesting things.

ScottKin

--
I don't give a rat's behind about "karma" here or anywhere else. Don't like what I have to say here? Deal with it!