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Laser Cannons Coming to an F-16 Near You

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the friggin-lasers dept.

dxprog writes "Reuters is reporting that the US Pentagon is designing a laser cannon that's small enough to fit onto a fighter jet yet powerful enough to knock out a missile. "The High Energy Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS), being designed by the Pentagon's central research and development agency, will weigh just 750 kg (1,650 lb) and measures the size of a large fridge." Now all we need to do is make fighter jets space worthy for that true Star Wars feel."

5 of 757 comments (clear)

  1. 4 out of 5 swinging dicks recommend... by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 5, Insightful

    4 out of 5 swinging dicks recommend more steel plates for their humvees, not another toy for the flyboys.

    1. Re:4 out of 5 swinging dicks recommend... by CrowScape · · Score: 4, Insightful

      High energy lasers have very promising defensive purposes, such as being able to shoot down/burn up mortar and artilery fire as well as RPGs. You know, many of the things that the underdogs like to use in asymetric warfare? Being able to mount these things onto a fighter is a good step towards getting these things on the ground and in the field.

      --
      common sense: noun
      What those who are ignorant of the subject matter think; usually wrong.
    2. Re:4 out of 5 swinging dicks recommend... by CharlieG · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Actually, at this point, almost all the Humvees are "Up armored", the problem is, as usual, this has lead to a response - less ak47 type ambushes, more IEDs. And as other, even heavier armored vehicles have shown up, the IEDs have gotten bigger - They refer to them as N-bangers where N = 1 or more - 1-banger is one shell/mine etc, 2 is 2 etc. The reports that I'm hearing say they have mostly given up on 1 bangers, and 2,3,4s are the most common

      Action leads to reaction, and no matter HOW much armor you put on something, you can always penetrate it - just takes a bigger bang. The say that some of the bigger IEDs actually pick something like a APC and throw them a couple of hundred yards, and up-armored HUMVEES just get blown to bits

      --
      -- 73 de KG2V For the Children - RKBA! "You are what you do when it counts" - the Masso
  2. Re:Forbidden? by tjw · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Weren't they forbidden by the Geneva convention?
    They're probably only for firing at "unlawful combatants", so it's OK.
    --

    XJS*C4JDBQADN1.NSBN3*2IDNEN*GTUBE-STANDARD-ANTI-UB E-TEST-EMAIL*C.34X
  3. Re:Forbidden? by forkazoo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No, to conform to the geneva convention, it just has to be powerful enough to kill you outright. The issue is blinding lasers. They would be classified as maiming weapons, and thus not really cricket. If it blows your head clear off, then it's all fine and dandy.