Actually the US laser system if I remember correctly has a higher success rate than current missile to missile systems such as Patriot and quite impressively destroys the targeted missiles. They have tested it a bit out at some of the military areas around here. Seen some footage of one in action was quite impressive. Also one of the test sites is White Sands which is just next door of where I currently live. Of course I am quite biased. I like the idea of laser weapons.
There are also a few companies in the process of designing laser cannons for fighter use to replace current vulcan cannons, heavy machine guns etc that get mounted on the aircraft. Though those are for abit farther in the future. One even has submitted a proposal for a rifle sized laser that could possibly be ready by 2050(if you read the companies proposal however there are alot of ifs for that).
Quite simply with successful miniaturization and cost reduction the laser is the weapon of the future. 400 pulses per second urning through an inch of steel in 2 seconds... hard to beat if you can scale it down...
Also the Chinese and other laser weapons are not upto par with the current US research. Blinding is one thing burning through steel something else. In addition there have been the occassional reports of Israel leaking US Laser Weapons technology to China.
A few links
News article
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/...in578998.shtml
Another One
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/laser-03k.html
CNN on possible use on aircraft within just a few years.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science.../laser.weapon/
Submission of the TIS-1 Laser Rifle Idea
http://www.defensereview.com/352003/TIS1.pdf
Re: Laser Cannons --> Military --> Spam
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