Posted on 03/23/2009 4:03:59 PM PDT by Flavius
Science fiction fans and generals alike have long fantasized about what it'd be like to have a laser weapon at their command. Now at last such dreams are nearing reality. After years of steady milestone progress, military contractor Northrop Grumman has reached a significant mark -- the first 100 kW steady-state laser.
The laser is part of the Joint High-Powered Solid State Laser Phase 3 Program, which combines 8 lasers in chain fashion to create a "superlaser" of sorts. Each laser can deliver up to 15.3 kW individually and is about the size of a large briefcase. Together they form a unit about the size of a couple garbage dumpsters stacked together, which can deliver a peak beam of 105.5 kW. The device has operated continuously for 5 minutes, a major landmark in integrity.
The beam quality is an impressive 3.0 or better, and full power is reached in 0.6 seconds.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailytech.com ...
Every new Chinese fighter is being equipped with a defensive disco ball.
I still wanna know what happens when Mr. Battlefield Laser meets Mr. Corner-Cube Reflector.
How much power would be required to drive it?
But not before he pulls a BJ Clinton and sells (or gives away) the technology to his Muslim buddies....no doubt.
Obama may slow it down, but he doesn’t have the power to stop it.
The biggest difference that I remember is that Boeing chose to go big, using a 747 to fit a chemical laser to blast big targets.
NG decided to go with solid state lasers, smaller and more easily adapted to truck sized platforms.
Am I misremembering correctly?
It would depend on the wavelength of the output. Your red laser pointer is 630 nanometer wavelength and 5 milliwatts. I milliwatt white light laser can weld thin metal. I would believe 10 kilowatt laser would be able to vaporize significant portions of the target at 100 yards
So this laser will cut 10,000 ton bond white paper at about 1 inch per second?
Does it have to instantaneously vaporize you or can it slowly burn you over the course of 5-10 seconds?
If you were being mugged and pulled out a laser that you started waving on somebody's chest, how long before it starts melting their shirt and then their skin? Wouldn't that be enough to deter them?
Or am I dreaming? Is it an all-or-nothing technology, instant vaporization or just a cool-looking light?
-PJ
As contrast, years ago, some Trekkie created a 5 Watt red light laser with off the shelf parts. It was powered by a backpack power source and could burn through a cinder block. 5 Watts.
What’s the carbon foot print ?
How many algore indulgences will we need to buy ?
“This is me testing my new one in D.C. I had to borrow Dennis Kucinich’s car...
“
LMAO Good one!
LMAO Good Photo!
NG is a sub to Boeing for the ABL. NG provides the laser that uses chemicals, as the lethal power necessary to be effective can't be generated any other way——yet.
R&D continues and as technology improves, and as the “package” shrinks and gets lighter, you will eventually see more and more tactical use of the weapon.
Of course, this presupposes the anti_American administration of our Dear Leader allows this project to continue.
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