Star Wars Lasers for fighter pilots by 2012?

[TekDragon]

Linkage

I wont bother copy-pasting. The link has no ads or pics so its a quick load and read.

Pulled it off the Drudge Report

[Yuyi]

That would be hotT

[TekDragon]

Im wondering how advanced the lasers will be in 2012. Right now the main limitations are size and power (the ability to punch through atmosphere).

The best part is that things like this will open up more funding for military laser research. Before you know it, ICBM missle shields will be a reality.

Then China and Russia can suck my wang.

[Khronos]

cool.

[Lise]

Hmm. If they could get it small enough to replace the GUNS on the fighters that'd be perfect. Also, the only real problem in an atmosphere is air degredation. All weapons feel air resistance, but lasers really suffer from air scattering especially at ground level. In space they rock all (unless you use nuclear weapons or maybe high-power railguns), but I'm not too sure a laser would be useful as anything other than a close-range weapon here on the ground.

[MilitantB0B]

I have a question about laser weapons in space. Since in space, there is no resistance to light, unless it hits another object in space, if you where to have a laser battle in space, wouldn't every missed shot rocket off into space? I would hate to accidentally start a war with an alien race due to poor marksmanship.

[xuur]

In space they rock all (unless you use nuclear weapons or maybe high-power railguns)

actually, a nuclear weapons primary effectiveness depends on reaction of atmosphere to the superheating of air and surrounding materials generated by the fission of the radioactive materials within. heat due to release of atomically active materials and shockwaves from the initial blast do far more damage than the actual event itself..altho its still quite substantial.

in space, with no atmosphere to react to the heating, nukes are substantially less effective. I would imagine however it would look pretty cool.

now...railguns. those are just good fun for all concerned.

(sorry, I couldnt resist)

[Derfud]

Foolish Humans, the "lasers" in starwars weren't really lasers since they did not travel at the speed of light, which lasers do. They referred to them as "Blasters", probably because they werent supposed to be lasers. Lasers usually travel in a long constant beam, that travels at the speed of light. The weapons in starwars were little balls of energy that moved slowly compared to the speed of light.


Just thought i would straighten that out.

[NightWalker XI]

MBT's already have anti-missile defence lasers so nothing new...

[Matuse]

I would hate to accidentally start a war with an alien race due to poor marksmanship.

Not possible. Even with no air, space is still populated by vast amounts of dust, and at interstellar distances, is just as effective. Plus, lasers disperse by themselves. A .000001% variation in the specific "flight" path of a photon is meaningless at a range of say a hundred miles, but at a distance of 30 light years (roughly 170 trillion miles), that laser beam will have gotten so diffuse that it wouldn't even be detectable anymore.

MBT's already have anti-missile defence lasers so nothing new...

Link proof immediately. I call major BS.

[NightWalker XI]

erm...BS...fiiine..

Linka

This is the extract:

Next to the pic of the JD 3 read that, it says they use it to attack the enemy gunners optics and this is China, USA probably has somethign better they jsut don't show it to public, but PLA shares msot of their stuff witht he people

[SmilingBandit]

The lasers on MBT's would go more to blind the optics of incoming missiles, it doesn't actually shoot down the weapons like the Airborne laser does (will).

[TekDragon]

Originally posted by SmilingBandit
The lasers on MBT's would go more to blind the optics of incoming missiles, it doesn't actually shoot down the weapons like the Airborne laser does (will).

Actually, your giving the chinese too much credit. The laser on the T-98 MBT doesnt target missles. It targets enemy vehicle, then the laser intensity is increased. This blinds the enemy targeting equipment and also has the potential to blind gunners using visual sighting.

Direct quote from text:

The procedure of the laser weapon would first use a low-powered beam to locate the optics of the enemy weapon. Once the enemy weapon was located, the power level of the laser would be immediately and dramatically increased. Such an attack would disable the guidance optics of the enemy weapon and/or damage the eyesight of the enemy gunner.

I doubt anyone but the US (or strong ally) could make a tank laser system to shoot down missles. It would take incredibly fast/accurate/powerful sensors and targeting computers.

[Mtx]

Originally posted by TekDragon
Im wondering how advanced the lasers will be in 2012. Right now the main limitations are size and power (the ability to punch through atmosphere).

The best part is that things like this will open up more funding for military laser research. Before you know it, ICBM missle shields will be a reality.

Then China and Russia can suck my wang.

So what you are saying is terrorisum could become really profitable? Considering no military could stand up to the US why waste the time trying when they can hire a tewrrorist faction to kill US civilians instead. Oh how smart is that! Now we can have suitcase size nukes go off across the country. WEEEE!!!

When your enemy sees no other way... terrorisum starts sounding good.

I'm X-army so if there are any MERC corperations out there that need my services I am more than willing to fight for your cause for a mere 100,000 a year plus full armorment.

[Spider]

How much you willing to bet the canadians are gonna get screwed out of this one?

We would own americans if it wasnt for them making us deconstruct the arrow