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German Laser Destroys Targets More Than 1Km Away

Posted by samzenpus on from the lazlo-approved dept.

kkleiner writes "A German company has brought us one step closer to the kinds of shootouts only seen in Sci-Fi films. Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall Defense recently tested a 50kW, high-energy laser at their proving ground facility in Switzerland. First, the system sliced through a 15mm- (~0.6 inches) thick steel girder from a kilometer away. Then, from a distance of two kilometers, it shot down a handful of drones as they nose-dived toward the surface at 50 meters per second."

20 of 338 comments (clear)

  1. Pop Corn by bkmoore · · Score: 4, Funny

    But can it wreck a college professor's house full of pop corn?

    1. Re:Pop Corn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      So how well does it make popcorn?

      Sheesh, and you people have the nerve to call yourselves nerds. A quick back of the envelope calculation:

      Laser output: 50kW
      Average microwave oven: 1kW
      Duration of popping: 2 m. 30 sec. = 150 sec.
      Therefore, 1 bag of popcorn every 3 seconds.

      House volume: 2000 sq ft * 6 ft high = 12000 cu ft
      Volume of a bag of popcorn = 0.25 cu ft
      Therefore, 144k bags of popcorn would be needed.

      (144k bags * 3 sec per bag) / 3600 secs per hour = 120 hours

      Hope Val Kilmer isn't in a hurry.

    2. Re:Pop Corn by steelfood · · Score: 4, Funny

      So instead of dropping bombs, the enemy will just drop disco balls. That ought to be fun.

      --
      "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
    3. Re:Pop Corn by Hobadee · · Score: 5, Funny

      A 6' high ceiling? Where are you living, the Shire?

      --
      ...Had this been an actual emergency, we would have fled in terror, and you would not have been informed.
    4. Re:Pop Corn by lymond01 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Therefore, 1 bag of popcorn every 3 seconds....(144k bags * 3 sec per bag) / 3600 secs per hour = 120 hours

      Because I'm aiming my laser at each bag individually. If I were going to cook a room-sized tin of kernels, I'd disperse the heat using a stained glass window.

      I drank what?

    5. Re:Pop Corn by celle · · Score: 4, Funny

      "It has come to my attention that the entire Linux community is a hotbed of so called 'alternative sexuality', which includes anything from hedonistic orgies to homosexuality to paedophilia."

            You know you could have waited till April 1st and won an award. Posting now is just plain stupid.

    6. Re:Pop Corn by thewils · · Score: 5, Funny

      Grammar Nazis!

      --
      Once I was a four stone apology. Now I am two separate gorillas.
  2. Now we need flintsteel armor. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Does anyone else think of the Bolo books when reading this.

  3. Sharks? by macraig · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why did they test it in a country where there are no sharks?

  4. Oooh shiny!!! by kimgkimg · · Score: 4, Funny

    I predict a mirrored future for our military vehicles...

  5. Germans acquire an advanced weapon! by Kensai7 · · Score: 5, Funny

    What can possibly go wrong...?! :p

    --
    "Sum Ergo Cogito"
  6. Great use for it. by Nyder · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Shooting down drones. Sort of like one of them electric bug zappers, but for bigger bugs.

    --
    Be seeing you...
  7. Re:Two words by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 4, Funny

    Actually, after you say "two words", you've already exhausted your word quota.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  8. Re:I guess I was naive by wile_e_wonka · · Score: 4, Informative

    The article seems to suggest that the laser was not simply going through air:

    "[W]eather at the Ochsenboden Proving Ground in Switzerland where the demonstration was carried out included ice, rain, snow, and extremely bright sunlight – far from ideal."

  9. Re:If true, low-level warplanes just became obsole by dpidcoe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It wouldn't do much against artillery shells or naval gunfire.

    It would be somewhat effective against artillery shells. Most large shells travel slowly and rely on explosives for their damage. Heat one up enough and you'll either bork the fuse or set off the explosives prematurely. Now you've got non-aerodynamic shrapnel with a relatively low terminal velocity raining down rather than a high explosive shell.

    The other thing about slow moving artillery shells is that they're slow, so there's time to effect the flight path. Heat the metal enough and you'll have superheated metal gas ablating from the surface of the shell. The force from that will be enough to alter the course of the projectile. With enough tracking/accuracy, you could theoretically divert the shell to land somewhere harmless (or at least less damaging).

  10. Re:American translation by GoogleShill · · Score: 5, Funny

    The preferred unit is furlongs/fortnight you insensitive clod!

  11. Obvious. by Forty+Two+Tenfold · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sharks.

    --
    Upward mobility is a slippery slope - the higher you climb the more you show your ass.
  12. Still too weak by cheesybagel · · Score: 4, Interesting

    100 kW is considered to be militarily useful, 1 MW is considered to be a battle grade laser.

    There are 100 kW solid state lasers available to the US military so this is not exactly leading edge military laser power. The interesting bit about this article is the revolver design they used.

  13. Re:50 m/s = 180 km/h = 111.85 mph by Jetra · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Because people in America are stubborn, arrogant, and resistant to change.

  14. Re:it had to be said by _4rp4n3t · · Score: 5, Funny

    I assume you mean 'pew-pew', unless you are, for some reason, particularly relieved at the successful testing of this laser...