China unveils 2.47kW portable laser weapon that works in Arctic cold, Saharan desert

Interesting Engineering ^ | June 22, 2025 | Christopher McFadden

[Justa]

Make it a MW and then it’s something

[Tell It Right]

Thanks to both FReepers for the explanation and the youtube link.

So we're talking about a small target area like a laser cutter. But does it also require being close to the target (only inches away) like a laser cutter? I guess for that to work as a weapon it'd have to be loaded onto some kind of projectile or torpedo so that it could be against the enemy target (vs the laser mounted onto a navy ship).

[abigkahuna]

Well maybe that Laser welder advertised all over youtube will finally work...

[blackdog]

Dewalt is now mostly Black & Decker. A/C Brush motors when brand new fail a lot. The contact brushes need to “burn in” and seat themselves properly. Really good manufacturers run them for hours during the assembly process to accomplish this. Unfortunately that costs a lot in terms of tooling, space, and #of motors produced per hour.

[egfowler3]

Suuuurrre they do, excuse me while go put on my hip waders; its getting deep around here.

[PLMerite]

[Red Badger]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvQV7Mt02q4

[bert]

Actually they are the same company

B&D is for amateurs

DeWalt is for pros

[blackdog]

There are smarties around here that would know the calculations on energy over distance thru atmosphere (air). I do not, but it drops bigly into nothingness in very short distances.

[Red Badger]

“portable” means it has a handle on it................

[blackdog]

Same stuff, different skins. I know. I did QC for them. The only true Dewalt good stuff is made in Italy. Stuff like Routers, Planing, etc.....Tools like drills, reciprocating saws, jigsaws, and virtually all hand tools, are all the same junk.

[bert]

Hmmm..... interesting

[Alas Babylon!]

U.S. Navy HELIOS laser test underscores greater advancements in Directed Energy Weapons

The High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system uses a modular power and fiber-optic configuration that can be expanded to fire at between 60 and 120 kW. Besides drone and missile defense, it also performs long range surveillance (ISR) and sensor dazzling. Its purported advantages are high precision, efficient "cost to kill", and power capacity for multiple shots ranging as far as 6 miles. As of 2024, higher-power laser weapons in the 150 to 300 kW range are being tested against anti-ship cruise missiles.

snip...

For HELIOS, the U.S. Navy has installed Aegis software capable of operating the laser system on DDG 81, 89, 122, 124 and 127, all of which could receive a HELIOS weapon system if the U.S. Navy pursues such an option. In the meantime, HELIOS testing will continue in 2025 onboard USS Preble.

[gundog]

DOD to unveil giant mirror in 3...2...

[blackdog]

It was the early 90's when BD bought DW. The irony was to me, that BD just bought the color yellow with black labeling. Most everything coming into distribution warehouses arrives in containers from China. It's checked only for proper packaging, pounds of pull on cord, trigger switch binding on housing, out of round (wobble at high speeds can make the blades explode), bar code reads, and any promotional graphics.

The biggest failures were in packaging graphics, trigger pull interference against the case moldings. (Can cause to be stuck on), and the out of round issues on cut-off wheels, grinders. (some deaths from that).

[tumblindice]

I wish Ronco or Popeil, or Hazard Fraught made a small laser for my heel and toe calluses, so I could stop using a Surform wood rasp.

[Red Badger]

Dremel 3000...............

[fella]

Technology stolen borrowed from American research labs?

[woodbutcher1963]

Yes, I think Porter Cable is part of Black & Decker too now.

Most of the power tools other than Makita & Milwaukee are all crap now. Even most of those are now made in CHIIIINA.

Almost all of my power tools are now old.
I did buy a Dewalt 1/4 sheet pad sander about five years ago.
My old Makita dies after thirty years.

Speaking of old tools. I just gave away my old radial arm saw. It was a Dewalt from the 1960s. It took all the strength of me and my 27 year old son to get it out of the bulkhead stairs in my basement. There was not one bit of plastic on that machine. It was also VERY top heavy.

[PIF]

You should see the size of the battery pack ...