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Anti-aircraft laser unveiled at Farnborough Airshow
bbc ^ | 7/19/10 | Daniel Emery

Posted on 07/19/2010 4:41:37 PM PDT by Nachum

US firm Raytheon has unveiled its anti-aircraft laser at the Farnborough Airshow in Hampshire.

The Laser Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) can either be used on its own or alongside a gunnery system.

In May, the laser was used to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a series of tests.

Raytheon said the solid state fibre laser produces a 50 kilowatt beam and can be used against UAV, mortar, rockets and small surface ships.

The idea of using lasers as weapons has been around almost as long as the laser itself, invented in 1960.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: antiaircraft; farnborough; laser; unveiled
Set phasers to 'stun'
1 posted on 07/19/2010 4:41:40 PM PDT by Nachum
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To: Nachum

Hmm... .I wonder how well that would work in a theatre such as Israel?


2 posted on 07/19/2010 4:43:44 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Helter Skelter. The Revolution is Upon Us.)
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To: Nachum

flying beebers are not safe any more


3 posted on 07/19/2010 4:43:50 PM PDT by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com <--- My Fiction/ Science Fiction Board)
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To: Nachum

CVN need this big-time for ASBM.

More, more..! Faster..!!!


4 posted on 07/19/2010 4:44:39 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: EQAndyBuzz
The heck with Israel...I wondering how it would work in NYC.

September 11th is only a month or so away and Obama will most likely been planning another flyby in Air Force One.

5 posted on 07/19/2010 4:49:22 PM PDT by SonOfDarkSkies
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To: GeronL

I don’t think this a “stune” setting.


6 posted on 07/19/2010 4:51:57 PM PDT by Little Ray (The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!)
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To: Nachum

Airshow demonstration followed by “oops!” commentary?

Wickedlasers


7 posted on 07/19/2010 4:52:06 PM PDT by Darksheare (I've been told that I drive like a cop. I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult.)
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To: Nachum

http://www.wickedlasers.com/
Duh, me and my html skillzorz..
*sigh*


8 posted on 07/19/2010 4:53:20 PM PDT by Darksheare (I've been told that I drive like a cop. I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult.)
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To: Nachum

Another toy to add to my Christmas list.


9 posted on 07/19/2010 4:57:27 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
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To: Nachum

This cracked me up...

“Artists representation of what the CIWS laser beam looks like which, in reality, is invisible.”


10 posted on 07/19/2010 5:06:56 PM PDT by Gondring (Paul Revere would have been flamed as a naysayer troll and told to go back to Boston.)
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To: EQAndyBuzz

I suspect that the Israelis are sharing technology with Raytheon. A couple of years ago they were working on and had successfully used a 10kW solid state laser to shoot down multiple small rockets, mortars, and artillery rounds.


11 posted on 07/19/2010 5:15:07 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (The US will not die with a whimper. It will die with thundering applause from the left.)
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To: Gondring

Invisible means that the laser will probably be in the high UV range because UV has more power per photon.


12 posted on 07/19/2010 5:17:34 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (The US will not die with a whimper. It will die with thundering applause from the left.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants; epithermal

Well, I sure hope we’ve locked down enough monazite and other rare-earth minerals...I don’t think we’ll want to be relying on the Chinese.


13 posted on 07/19/2010 5:28:27 PM PDT by Gondring (Paul Revere would have been flamed as a naysayer troll and told to go back to Boston.)
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To: Gondring; KevinDavis

I thought that was funny too.


14 posted on 07/19/2010 5:31:21 PM PDT by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com <--- My Fiction/ Science Fiction Board)
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To: Nachum

The ion cannon from the Empire Strikes Back seemed to disrupt a Star Destroyer which was cool.

15 posted on 07/19/2010 5:47:14 PM PDT by xp38
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