US Army Tests "The Laser"

[John Stalvern]

so who are we developing this to use against?

North Korea. So basically it's taking a shotgun to a fight with an errant teen waving an airsoft pistol.

 

[cainx10a]

so who are we developing this to use against?

North Korea. So basically it's taking a shotgun to a fight with an errant teen waving an airsoft pistol.

And any country considered as a threat to the US I suppose. Is Canada next on the list? =D

 

[AceDiamond]

I like how people are saying 'Why are these being made' or 'Who are we going to use these on' when the article clearly says to counter any threat from a Nuclear North Korea.

Frankly I think it's a fantastic invention, since the Cold War we've all potentially been 7 minutes from Worldwide devastation. About time a reliable counter-measure was introduced.

Plus, you know, FRIKKIN LAZERS

Yeah, but when are the rest of us gonna get some countermeasures against the USA's nukes?

I'd like to point out that (as far as I know) the only president to seriously consider firing nukes at another country outside of the cold war (and even then as the absolute last resort) was George W. Bush, who claimed he was going to do that to Iraq if they didn't play nice...or something.

I can of course be completely wrong, but at this point with the cold war over the threat of ICBMs only seems to come from rogue nations like North Korea (although their nukes don't work really), and thus the need for a defense system. And not just for the United States, I'll add.

 

[N-Sef]

Now the American government can send one fighter against an entire army and somehow expect it to win, obviously they'll send powerup crates so the fighter can use charged shots and change its laser to twin cannons and streaming guns. SHMUPs are the best.

 

[matrix3509]

I wonder how many gigawatts that thing would have to be? 1.21 gigawatts maybe? Heh...

On a related note... wasn't Israel working on a ground based laser system that could track and destroy RPGs coming out of Gaza and the West Bank?

Quick Wiki search revealed this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTHEL

Also a youtube search revealed this also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LThD0FMvTFU

Apparently the thing was developed by the same company and is able to shoot down multiple things are once, from Katyusha rockets, to mortars, to even artillary shells before they hit the ground.

 

[John Stalvern]

so who are we developing this to use against?

North Korea. So basically it's taking a shotgun to a fight with an errant teen waving an airsoft pistol.

And any country considered as a threat to the US I suppose. Is Canada next on the list? =D

Will Canada fanatically pursue the goal of building missiles that can travel very far with no foresight as to the consequences?
Of course we will.

 

[Sporky111]

They say that there will be a test of a real nuke. Where will that nuke be headed before they laser it out of the sky. Maybe it is aimed an North Korea, maybe there will be a crippling malfunction in the laser...just thinking.

 

[Shock and Awe]

Bow Down, We Have a LOL Laser

 

[Ronwue]

This news comes as something awesome. Maybe more efficient space engines will be a reality in the near future.

 

[matrix3509]

This news comes as something awesome. Maybe more efficient space engines will be a reality in the near future.

Better engines could have already been available had it not been for the Partial Test Ban Treaty.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsion)

The Orion Drive apparently had the potential to reach 10% the speed of light, enabling us to reach stars like Proxima Centari within 50 years. Thats what we could be using all of our uranium for, but instead its just sitting around not being used.

 

[Mostly Harmless]

I suppose you can never have enough ways to blow up North Korea, or what ever this is being developed for. It probably just meant to be a big middle finger to other world armies. We have lasers you don't, type mentality.

 

[Sigenrecht]

I could have sworn I saw this on FutureWeapons, like... four years ago.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Just as a quick note: Yes, this has been around for sometime and yes, there have been ground based lasers for some time; but this is the first successful test of a Boeing carryable laser.

This baby can fly.

 

[mangus]

if they call the missile defence system "star wars" they HAVE TO call the nuke defence system the death star. It's pretty much a law.

 

[Shadow Law]

All i want to know is if the lasers sound like pew! pew!... I might actually wet myself

Lasers don't sound like anything, unless you're standing next to the person that is being shot. In which case they sound like

"OH GOD! MY ORGANS! *BLARGHARAGARAGHAL*"

Also they wouldn't be visible, they would move at the speed at light.

"Hey whats that on your shoe?"
"What that? Thats just some bob i stepped in."

 

[asiepshtain]

I imagine what this would do to a human... The laser would super-heat the liquids in the body, more then just the blood, the liquid that fills our cells. This liquid will turn into steam and the area would literally explode. cellular damage would be akin to 3rd degree burns combined with the shock effect of the explosion and small bone fragment shrapnel.

Ouch.

 

[mooncalf]

Heh. Nice one. Of course it wouldn't be a "Death Star" it would be the "Freedom Star".

With it's Patented Peace Ray.

 

[Azeban]

For all you physics majors, here's a question: if you irradiate a nuclear device, would it be disintegrated or would it just go off in the air?