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Zap! Air Force eyes Star Wars-style lasers
Scripps Howard News Service ^ | June 24, 2003 | SUE VORENBERG

Posted on 06/24/2003 11:58:29 AM PDT by Mister Magoo

Zap! Air Force eyes Star Wars-style lasers

By SUE VORENBERG Scripps Howard News Service

June 24, 2003

- "Star Wars" laser battles might have happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but for the U.S. Air Force they're just now starting to become a reality.

A new high energy laser weapon and F-16 flight simulator, designed by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Theater Aerospace Command Control Simulation Facility at Kirtland Air Force Base, will let pilots test technology that could put the United States far ahead of its enemies.

The F-16 model is a smaller version of the airborne laser weapon already under development for use on a Boeing 747 for shooting down missiles. It could be ready for use in 2012, but before that happens, pilots will test the system in the simulator to see how useful it is and suggest ways it could be improved to help them in combat.

"Essentially what we're looking at is that this laser can hit a target at the speed of light, almost instantly compared with the time of flight of a missile, which can take several seconds," said Jono Tyson, a contract employee from Scientific Research Corp. and assistant project manager at the simulation facility. "The laser is also a much more cost-effective weapon versus firing a missile that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Firing the laser will likely only cost a couple hundred dollars."

This fall, the two Kirtland agencies will attach the system to flight simulators in Arizona at the Fighter Weapons Training Branch. Pilots at the facility will tell the Air Force whether they think the laser is worth further development, said Rudy Martinez, the simulation facility's project manager.

The laser system is a renewable weapon, another advantage. When missiles fire, they are completely destroyed, but a laser needs only to be recharged before it can fire again, said Rick Garcia, a spokesman at the research lab.

The high energy laser weighs about 5,000 pounds and can fire on targets up to 10 miles away - a short distance compared with the 40-mile reach of air-to-air missiles. If the pilots like the simulation, scientists at the research lab, which developed the technology, will try to make the weapon smaller and more powerful, so it can fire greater distances and take up less space on an F-16.

"What we're also trying to figure out now is how long it takes for our laser to take out a target," Tyson said. "It's not like 'Battlestar Galactica,' where you just fire, and they go down. It has to hit the target for a second or two."

The system can also fire at targets on the ground, such as enemy lines or tank columns, Tyson said.

To build the simulator, scientists and technicians at the simulation facility added an extra firing button on the pilot's stick and developed extensive software programs that realistically simulate the targeting instrument panel and visual firing of the system on two video screens.

The one unrealistic thing about the laser is the sound it makes. When fired, the simulator makes a noise that sounds a lot like a "Star Trek" phaser blast. In real life, the laser makes no noise at all.

"The problem is, pilots don't know when the weapon has fired if it doesn't make a noise," said Suzanne Baker, a software engineer who helped develop the system. "We got the noise for this one from Tactical Air Systems. I think they got it from 'Star Trek' or something, but I'm not sure. You'd think a bunch of nerds like us would know that."

The system has been fully developed and tested, but it must be adapted for the much more advanced flight simulators in Arizona. Its developers will spend the next several months tweaking it to work on those systems and hope to finish late this year.

Contact Sue Vorenberg of The Tribune in Albuquerque, N.M., at http://www.abqtrib.com.


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: lasers; miltech; techindex
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1 posted on 06/24/2003 11:58:30 AM PDT by Mister Magoo
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To: Mister Magoo; Admin Moderator
I knew it!

The Admin Moderator has been testing these weapons for over a year....

2 posted on 06/24/2003 12:00:35 PM PDT by amused (Republicans for Sharpton!)
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To: Mister Magoo
A new high energy laser weapon and F-16 flight simulator, designed by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Theater Aerospace Command Control Simulation Facility at Kirtland Air Force Base, will let pilots test technology that could put the United States far ahead of its enemies.

Thank God that George Bush is our president now. If Clinton was still in office I'm sure all the Chinese had to do to get this technology is to ask for it.
3 posted on 06/24/2003 12:02:45 PM PDT by godlovesrepublicans
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To: godlovesrepublicans
If Clinton was still in office I'm sure all the Chinese had to do to get this technology is to ask for it.

No, they would have to funnel some money into hillary's election campaign.

4 posted on 06/24/2003 12:06:14 PM PDT by VRWCmember
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To: godlovesrepublicans
Yay!! My USAF daughter will be SOOOOO cooled out to have these fun toys fall into the paws of eager Zoomies. And to think, her uncle wanted her to be a Marine... ;)
5 posted on 06/24/2003 12:07:22 PM PDT by dandelion
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To: Mister Magoo
There have been a continual flow of these article about the U.S. developing super weapons. I think we must be sending signals to the other countries.
6 posted on 06/24/2003 12:09:55 PM PDT by 7 x 77
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To: Mister Magoo
Star Wars style lasers

I think this is a VERY BAD idea!

Our fighters can fire missles that precisely take out targets many, many miles away. In Star Wars, they can't even hit another spaceship right in front of them with their lasers.

7 posted on 06/24/2003 12:11:41 PM PDT by Onelifetogive
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To: Mister Magoo
"The laser is also a much more cost-effective weapon versus firing a missile that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Firing the laser will likely only cost a couple hundred dollars."

Only a couple of hundred dollars. Excellent. Put these babies into mass production as quick as possible.

8 posted on 06/24/2003 12:13:15 PM PDT by DannyTN (Note left on my door by a pack of neighborhood dogs.)
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To: Mister Magoo; *miltech; *tech_index; MizSterious; shadowman99; Sparta; freedom9; martin_fierro; ...
OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST
9 posted on 06/24/2003 12:14:10 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Recall Gray Davis and then start on the other Democrats)
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To: Onelifetogive
Our fighters can fire missles that precisely take out targets many, many miles away. In Star Wars, they can't even hit another spaceship right in front of them with their lasers.

These Air Force generals aren't stupid, ignorant, masochists. If the weapon is not likely to be better than missles they'll stop developing it.

10 posted on 06/24/2003 12:16:41 PM PDT by 7 x 77
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To: 7 x 77
If the weapon is not likely to be better than missles they'll stop developing it.

Sounds like a replacement for the auto-cannon; possibly the Sidewinder in some types of egagements.

11 posted on 06/24/2003 12:21:39 PM PDT by Tallguy (Trying desperately to ignore Hillary.... and not succeeding.)
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To: Mister Magoo; Poohbah; section9; Dog
Man, I almost feel sorry for anyone who decides to mess with the good ol' USA...
12 posted on 06/24/2003 12:22:44 PM PDT by hchutch ("If you don’t win, you don’t get to put your principles into practice." David Horowitz)
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To: Onelifetogive
We need more Wamprats.
13 posted on 06/24/2003 12:23:22 PM PDT by Frank_Discussion (May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather!)
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To: Onelifetogive
In Star Wars, they can't even hit another spaceship right in front of them with their lasers.

They can if they trust the Force.

14 posted on 06/24/2003 12:24:13 PM PDT by VRWCmember
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To: Mister Magoo
It could be ready for use in 2012

Whew! Just in time to defeat the aliens that will be returning in December, 2012 -- the end of the Mayan calendar's current cycle --

15 posted on 06/24/2003 12:24:21 PM PDT by xrp
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To: Onelifetogive
"In Star Wars, they can't even hit another spaceship right in front of them with their lasers. "

That's because they were using the politically correct, ultra slow lasers.

The same reason they were using light wands, when clearly 20th century era glocks have a distinct advantage.

16 posted on 06/24/2003 12:24:38 PM PDT by DannyTN (Note left on my door by a pack of neighborhood dogs.)
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To: DannyTN
Put them in pods and hang them from the wings of B-52. Say about 6 per pylon. Dependant on the recharge/fire rate the Buff would be able to carpet laze instead of bomb. Talk about death from above... This will change the whole nature of warfare.
17 posted on 06/24/2003 12:24:38 PM PDT by Outlaw76 (Citizens on the bounce!)
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To: Tallguy
No ammo but energy is required. If it turns out light enough, a sufficient power source would make this damn formidable!
18 posted on 06/24/2003 12:24:50 PM PDT by Frank_Discussion (May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather!)
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To: 7 x 77
There have been a continual flow of these article about the U.S. developing super weapons. I think we must be sending signals to the other countries.

Could also be a way of showing the public the fruits of the increased spending?

...but I'm sure it does have a bonus pant-wetting effect you allude to.
19 posted on 06/24/2003 12:24:51 PM PDT by GoatWorship (Beware the suit with the plastic smile)
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To: Onelifetogive
Flying thru hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, boy!
20 posted on 06/24/2003 12:25:16 PM PDT by VRWCmember
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