Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Navy Planning To Build Laser Cannon In Four Years

Posted by samzenpus on from the sea-the-future dept.

CowboyRobot writes "The US Navy is months away from requesting bids from contractors to construct a laser weapon for its ships, now that the technology is feasible. 'The key point came last April, when the Navy put a test laser firing a (relatively weak) 15-kilowatt beam aboard a decommissioned destroyer... the Martime Laser Demonstrator cut through choppy California waters, an overcast sky and salty sea air to burn through the outboard engine of a moving motorboat a mile away.'"

2 of 195 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If this stays as a (relatively) short range weapon, which is likely given the way lasers work in the atmosphere, then I doubt that being able to trace the beam back to its source will matter much. A modern US destroyer is over 500 ft long. Based on the one mile range listed in the summary, it would be clearly visible, even to the naked eye.

  2. Re:Hmm by Tyrannosaur · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Wouldn't the obvious solution be to create ships which absorb incoming energy and re-use it for their own use?

    If I extend that "obvious solution" to apply to how to counter, say, nuclear weapons, you'll see why that won't work.