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Laser Takes Out Truck Engine From a Mile Away

Posted by Soulskill on from the all-it-needs-is-an-orbital-targeting-platform-and-we-can-make-popcorn dept.

MutualFun (1730480) writes Aerospace company Lockheed Martin has used a laser to obliterate the engine of a small truck from more than a mile away. (Finally, Star Wars is making a comeback!) The company says, "The demonstration marked the first field testing of an integrated 30-kilowatt, single-mode fiber laser weapon system prototype. Through a technique called spectral beam combining, multiple fiber laser modules form a single, powerful, high-quality beam that provides greater efficiency and lethality than multiple individual 10-kilowatt lasers used in other systems."

7 of 274 comments (clear)

  1. One million dollars by danbert8 · · Score: 5, Funny

    But can they be mounted on sharks? That is the real question...

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    1. Re:One million dollars by Megane · · Score: 4, Funny

      Sharks, hell, where's the popcorn?

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      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    2. Re:One million dollars by RyuuzakiTetsuya · · Score: 3, Funny

      This is Jesus.

      Stop playing with yourself.

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      Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
  2. Vid or STFU by richy+freeway · · Score: 3, Funny

    Words are cheap, we wanna see shit BURN!

  3. Re:how much it took by meta-monkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    They should do some tests to see how many seconds a 120mm shell fired from an M1A1 at ~1700m/s needs to be in contact with the truck to disable it.

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  4. Terminator at gun shop... by tekrat · · Score: 5, Funny

    Terminator: Phased plasma rifle in the 50-watt range.
    Owner: Hey, just what you see here pal!
    Terminator : Uzi 9 millimeter
    Owner: You really know your guns, this baby is perfect for home defense....

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    If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
  5. Re:how much it took by Ralph+Wiggam · · Score: 3, Funny

    Keeping the 300 A-10s operational costs over $800M per year. That's a lot of money for a plane that can only do one thing under specific circumstances. Newer, more flexible systems can take over those missions at little additional cost. The Air Force has been trying to get rid of the A-10 for years, but Congress won't let them.

    Yes, the A-10 appeals to the inner 12 year old in all of us. But the days of a pilot flying slowly in a straight line directly towards its target are behind us.