Directed Energy Weapon Downs Ballistic Missile

A**masher writes "In a test off the Califoria coast late last night, Boeing's Airborne Laser successfully destroyed a sub-launched ballistic missile. 'This was the first directed energy lethal intercept demonstration against a liquid-fuel boosting ballistic missile target from an airborne platform,' reported the Missile Defense Agency. It should be noted that destroying a liquid-fueled ballistic missile is generally considered easier than killing a solid-fueled equivalent due to the relative fragility of the fueling and other systems."

Comments

Popcorn and other practical applications

[elrous0]

Some people may worry that a laser this powerful could be used to build some sort of spaced-based precision bomber. But don't worry, you'd have to get someone to build you optics for a phase conjugate target tracking system to do something like that. And no one is stupid enough to do that without realizing the implications.

Re:Popcorn and other practical applications

[wiggles]

*****VIOLATION*****

YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF STATUTE 105B OF THE GEEK CODE.

YOU ARE HEREBY DIRECTED TO VIEW 'REAL GENIUS' WITHIN 30 DAYS OR YOU MUST FORFEIT YOUR GEEK CARD AT THE NEAREST FRY'S ELECTRONICS, COMPUSA, OR RADIO SHACK.

Wrong Platform

[VorpalRodent]

The article indicates that this is the first demonstration from an airborne platform. However, I am significantly more interested in the application of directed energy weapons from certain aquatic platforms.

Re:Wrong Platform

[TheKidWho]

The sharks aren't big enough, I think our only chance is to put those in a whale.

Star Trek had it all wrong, the humpback whales didn't go extinct because they're so tasty, nono, they went extinct because we were putting friggin laser beams in them.

Lasers vs. Railguns

[Xest]

My money is on railguns being the most practical weapon first:

http://gizmodo.com/351467/navy-rail-gun-test-destroys-everything-it-touches-at-5640-mph

Besides, lasers are a bit girly, they're just like overpowered flashlights ;) There's something more manly about accurately launching a solid lump of metal 200 miles at just short of mach 8!

Re:Lasers vs. Railguns

[jgtg32a]

Lasers may be girly but they are a whole lot sexier than railguns which is basically just a gun that shoots really fast bullets

Re:In the immortal words of Socrates

[spun]

It's a joke, man. Real geeks do whatever the hell they want to do. Being obsessive about weird shit even other types of geeks don't get is, well, one of the primary characteristics of geekhood.