Lasers for targeting maybe. But lasers as weapons are probably more of a gimmick feature. Think bad weather, thick heavy battery, think limited electricity. Maybe they can summon Zeus so he can throw a lightning bolt at the fighter as he is shooting the laser.
it takes a 747 to handle the very heavy equipment required to fire an ABM laser ...
Think more along the lines of Israel’s Iron Dome laser defense system (Iron Beam), which is based on the USA’s HEL-MD systems.
4.5 mile range, and entirely useful for knocking down incoming anti-aircraft missiles (and even artillery rounds!).
A fighter equipped with such a defensive system would be “survivable” in an extremely hostile environment.
Of course, such a laser is less useful against enemy fighter pilots who know to stay more than 4.5 miles away, so it isn’t a great offensive weapon.
The DANG (Air Domination Next Gen) aircraft will still need missiles for air to air combat and probably a 250 pound bomb or two for air to ground.
If configured properly, it will be a sub-orbital fighter jet...able to make a brief hop up into Space (for systems cooling and anti-satellite ops)...which would explain why Russia was so anxious for the new Space Weapons ban this year.
Expect to see DANGs equipped with an external, expendable/droppable rocket booster if their mission parameter requires the start of a sortie to begin in sub-orbit.