[Flightdeck]

I’m not familiar with any wavelength of light that would be absorbed by air like that (and not until a specified point tens of meters from the source). It could illuminate and burn something ELSE at that point in the sky, but not just air.

[Errant]

It would have to be a wavelength (e.g. pulsed infrared) outside the visible spectrum that is focused or combined with other lasers to generate the energy needed to create ionization or plasma.

I'm certain the really advanced technology is classified but here is a bit of information in the public domain:

With the assistance of a $2.7 Million U.S. contract, Stellar Photonics is developing a Plasma Acoustic Shield System, or PASS. The PASS uses a high-energy laser to create an airborne ball of plasma, then uses another laser to create a shock wave inside the plasma ball, creating a flash of light and explosion. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma-based_weaponry