[IronJack]

I saw a documentary on this laser system, but I thought it was carried aboard a modified passenger jet (727?). It's not perfect, since heavy cloud cover can deflect it, but it is a functional system, not just "Lost in Space" theory.

[zog]

--pretty nifty. maybe they have a "wide beam' setting they can use as an anti personnel weapon, useful for like people at food riots, or unemployment riots, or say like demonstrating outside of politican's houses or where votes are being counted. You know, useful applications like that...Maybe just blind them or "burn them" in a small way, "non lethally".

%^(

[Johnny_Apollo]

"Why, by God, I actually pity these poor sons-of-bitches we are going up against. By God, I do!". Gen. George Patton.

[Jhoffa_]

And, suppose the target has a mirror?

Then what happens?

[aculeus]

Thank God for the Military Industrial Complex.

[hillsborofox]

Good.

[samtheman]

AMERICA'S enemies will soon face a weapon, once confined to the Star Wars films, that can bring death at the speed of light.

Hate to quibble with a minor point but I do believe it was Star Trek that got this weapon first, not Star Wars.

Anyway, great weapon. Keep up the great work, Rumsfeld!

[Enemy Of The State]

This is not new news....The US has been using laser tech. for years now. Unless you have served in designated areas of the military you probably dont know about the use of lasers during the invasion of Panama. They are completely capable of leveling entire villages.

[Travis McGee]

bttt

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

"Laser of Death"

With really cool names like this we won't have to fight any wars...

Now we need the "Gun of Wiping Out Entire Armies in One Shot," and a few other well named goodies, and we're ready to go.

[dixiechick2000]

This is AWESOME!!!
I love new weapons...
THEL...gotta love it!

Or, at least respect it.

[My Identity]

From AFRL's Directed Energy Directorate, Laser Division, Cooperative Development Branch, Kirtland AFB NM

The following characteristics make the COIL a very
good candidate for high-power applications:

1 - near-infrared laser wavelength of 1.315 micrometers is great for transmission through optical fibers.
(You don't need to aim the entire devide, just the focusing head.)

2 - a high optical quality beam that can be focused to small spots for faster metal cutting
(as pinpoint as you want it to be)

3 - readily scaled to meet very high-power needs.
(as powerful as you want it to be)

4 - the by-products of COIL lasing are salt, water and oxygen; no greenhouse effect gases exist.
Cool - an eco-safe weapon. BWAHAHAHAHA

[timestax]

I don't believe all that talk of superweapons. Why didn't they already use them in Afghanistan?? I thought for sure they would implement their ways to eliminate those a-holes from using their radio communications on their shortwave transcievers, BUT NOOOOOOOOO! T.V. reports show the monkeys talking on their transceivers left and right. What's up with that?! I'm p*ssed that USA didn't do somthing to eliminate their crude radio communication "network". Even just dropping radios with like frequencies with transmission button taped "ON" would have worked.

[stboz]

Something tells me that SPF30 ain't gonna hack it.

[breakem]

Is it too late for clinton to sell the plans to China?

[El Gato]

There is a another, somewhat larger, LASER being fitted to a 747 right now. It's mission is to shoot down theatre range ballistic missiles, like the Scud, during the boost phase. Now that is a big laser. This C-130 version would just be a pipsqeak in comparison.