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US Navy Authorizes Use of Laser In Combat

Posted by samzenpus on from the warning-do-not-look-directly-at-navy-laser dept.

mi writes The U.S. Navy has declared an experimental laser weapon on its Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) in the Persian Gulf an operational asset and U.S. Central Command has given permission for the commander of the ship to defend itself with the weapon. The 30 kilowatt Laser Weapon System (LaWS) was installed aboard USS Ponce this summer as part of a $40 million research and development effort from ONR and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to test the viability of directed energy weapons in an operational environment. No word yet on a smaller, shark-mounted version.

6 of 225 comments (clear)

  1. USS Ponce? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Really? Does "ponce" mean something different in US English or is there some story behind it?

    I thought poncy names for ships was the preserve of the Royal Navy.

    --
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    1. Re:USS Ponce? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ponce is the only ship of the United States Navy that is named for Ponce in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

      And a good thing too, nobody would know what the fuck is going on if there were 15 ships and a submarine all named Ponce.

    2. Re:USS Ponce? by ganjadude · · Score: 1, Funny

      I dont know, but wake me when they mount the lasers to some frickin sharks

      --
      have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
    3. Re:USS Ponce? by DexterIsADog · · Score: 4, Funny

      Ponce is the only ship of the United States Navy that is named for Ponce in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

      And a good thing too, nobody would know what the fuck is going on if there were 15 ships and a submarine all named Ponce.

      "Is your name not Bruce?"

  2. Shark-mounted laser by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why make the laser smaller when you can make the shark bigger?

  3. Does the FAA now about this? by dfn5 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Navy faces fine for pointing laser at aircraft.

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