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US Military Stepping Up Use of Directed Energy Weapons
An anonymous reader writes: At a conference on Tuesday, U.S. officials explained that all branches of the military would be increasing their use of lasers and other directed energy weapons. Lieutenant General William Etter said, "Directed energy brings the dawn of an entirely new era in defense." The Navy's laser deployment test has gone well, and they're working on a new prototype laser in the 100-150 kilowatt range. "[Navy Secretary Ray] Mabus said Iran and other countries were already using lasers to target ships and commercial airliners, and the U.S. military needed to accelerate often cumbersome acquisition processes to ensure that it stayed ahead of potential foes."
Directed energy weapons are not that interesting. I'm more scared of undirected energy weapon and very curious about ballistic energy weapons.
The summary probably should have linked to this article:
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/15/05/18/1553206/navys-new-laser-weapon-hype-or-reality
It's not an invasion; it's just defense in a different direction.
Star wars movie!
Now they just need to add the sound.
Because blinding lasers are designed to maim and not kill, they are considered to fall under the Geneva Protocol. For the most part, these energy weapons are not for anti-personnel usage, but rather anti-vehicular or anti-missile usage.
When you've done the amount of ham fisted nation building and interfering as the USA has done since WW2 you're going to make enemies that you need to defend yourself against.
Anyway, a common enemy either real of imaginary is an age old method of taking the mind of the people off of internal matters. The Romans were doing it, never mind the USA, and todays best practitioners are Putin and the fat kid running north korea.
"[Navy Secretary Ray] Mabus said Iran and other countries were already using lasers to target ships and commercial airliners"
Laser targeting != Laser weaponry. I'm surprised that SecNAV doesn't understand the difference although low energy lasers can be fun.
TFA:
"Directed energy brings the dawn of an entirely new era in defense," Lieutenant General William Etter, Commander, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, told a conference hosted by Booz Allen Hamilton and the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment.
which reminded me of:
Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations.
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
- Dwight Eisenhower
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
It's your imagination.
Admittedly, it's been pretty much true since WW2, and more or less true since WW1. But before that, the US spent a lot of time using the "ignore and be ignored" theory of nationhood.
Oddly enough, it was getting dragged into a European war that cured us of that notion....
"I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
It's funny that you blame America for invasion.
1) North Korea with china invaded south Korea.
2) France asked America to help in Vietnam which we did.
3) reagan tried to stop massacre in Libya, but showed yellow belly when we were attacked.
4)we did go into Panama but only to stop noreiga. We also invaded Grenada to stop a coup that had ussr, North Koreans, and Libyan soldiers helping
5) at end of cold war, we, as part of UN, stepped into eastern Europe to stop the genocide that was going on.
6) as part of UN, we stopped Iraq invasion/occupation of kuwait
7) we invade and leave Afghanistan ( too early ) to take out AQ for bombing America and European targets
8) we unfairly invade/occupy Iraq.
9) we reoccupy Afghanistan to help their gov. Stop Taliban.
10) we help Europe invade Libya, but we had to be pushed hard to do it.
11) we were going to go into syria to stop their chemical weapons but Russia, china Europe, and GOP push Obama to accept a deal in which Syria/Russia announce all chem plants and will destroy them
12) ISIS formed and America staying out. Then ISIS captured chemical weapons that Russia/Syria said that they did not have. So we start supporting various groups, with Europe pushing America to invade.
13) Russia invades Crimea, America does nothing.
14) Russia invades Ukraine and then America pushes Europe for sanctions.
15) America pushed for sanctions on Iran to get a nuke deal. However, middle East and many European not happy with deal.
And yet, other than second invasion of Iraq, America has only responded to events that others did. In many cases, it was Europe pushing America that lead to military actions.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
Rate me -1 troll, but I think it's hilarious that "the science fiction future" for which everyone is optimistically hoping is being brought to us by something so prosaic and "dirty" and anti-utopian as murdering people. (Well, I guess it has been through much of the last 100+ years, as in the internet and aircraft.)
Kind of like the 'brave new world' of the internet and tech being driven by the porn industry.
-Styopa
2) France asked America to help in Vietnam which we did.
No. When France quit Vietnam after Dien Ben Phu the US decided it would suck up the remnants of the French Empire as it had done for the Spanish and British Empires. Oh, and Communism.
3) reagan tried to stop massacre in Libya, but showed yellow belly when we were attacked.
What massacre? Gadaffy was a murderous nutter (though no more so than many 'friends' of the US) but more importantly he had oil.
4)we did go into Panama but only to stop noreiga.
Not really. It was to regain control of the canal which had been given to Panama by Carter.
We also invaded Grenada to stop a coup that had ussr, North Koreans, and Libyan soldiers helping
That is complete bullshit. There were 700 Cuban soldier/workers. There are a few more than that only 90 miles from the US at all times. Not sure if you are referring to the original Bishop coup or the US inspired counter coup.
America has only responded to events that others did.
If you look a bit deeper you will find that in most cases the 'others' were provoked (often covertly) by the US into giving them an excuse.