Sci-Fi Weapons to Join US Arsenal?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Tuesday April 11, 2006 @01:34PM from the sci-fi-to-sci-tech dept.

marct22 writes to tell us CNet is reporting that the next weapons coming out of the US arsenal could be stepping right off the pages of science fiction to be there. From the article: "By the end of this year, the Air Force plans to conduct a first, fully loaded test flight of its Airborne Laser, a jumbo jet packed with gear designed to shoot down enemy missiles half a world away, at the speed of light. The ABL also packs a megawatt-class punch--it's not exactly your garden-variety laser pointer."

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Active denial won't work by Viol8 · 2006-04-11 22:22 · Score: 0, Offtopic

Why? Because if it only penetrates a 3rd of a mil into skin
then how long do you think it will take before someone develops
some clothing that absorbs in the same way as skin and keeps the
heat off the person? Sure , the clothing will get hot but thats
easily solved with insulation.

Seems like a waste of time to me , not to mention somewhat
dangerous (if you keep the beam on someone whats to stop their
skin turning to pork crackling?)