Posted on 03/05/2015 6:42:31 AM PST by lbryce
Our military uses lasers for range finding, as does other advanced nations.
As a result, you will notice that all of our lenses, sights, vision blocks, binoculars, etc have a semi-reflective film on them to prevent getting blinded by these lasers...although they really aren’t powerful enough to do that.
So what is holding us back from using more powerful lasers as weapons? If even one ISIS barbarian were to lose his sight due to our laser, the UN and various international bodies would accuse us of torture, and we’d have to start making disability payments to ISIS. IOW, we don’t have the stomach to use a weapon that can blind people.
I recall taking it to be a point about the power of the laser used, not that it had a scattering effect or whatever. It was years and years ago. And like I said it could be complete hooey.
FReegards
Same thing in industry. I love reading an article about some major breakthrough in technology, usually from some university. The last sentence is something like, "All the big problems have been solved and it just needs to be moved into manufacturing."
As someone who had done research, development and manufacturing engineering. I will tell you getting something into manufacturing is the hardest of the three.
Scientists only have to make it work once. Then they can put it on the shelf. (I have to say I was guilty of this too when I was in research.) Then they can publish their articles, and be mystified as to why the world is not flocking to their door to put it into the market.
Engineers have to make it work every time not just once.
We could just pull out the Warthogs and bomb them with weapons and aircraft we’ve already proven to work.
What would prevent the laser from burning through the engine compartment and into the passengers and then into the gas tank? Or into the car(s) behind?
In other words, where does the power range stop?
Probably has a program to focus on the vehicle and burn through the reflecting material.
With a powerful enough ground-based laser, all the spinning and mirrors would do would be delay the catastrophic failure due to overheating.
Mirrors all have flaws, which would allow hot spots, which would spread the flaw, accelerating the failure.
“Staggering range”. A mile?
“stop a truck”. If it’s conveniently up on stands to begin with.
Maybe some day, Lockheed. For now, give me a Barrett .50
The article doesn’t say how long it took for the laser to burn that hole in the truck. If it was an hour, well, what good is that?
#26 Nothing, nothing at all : )
Wow.
One less Ford on the road, good enough for me.
Yeah, but can it pop popcorn from space?
“No, I expect you to die Mr. Bond”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.