World’s first functional laser weapon

[WillBrink]

About time I say! Just one step closer to handheld blasters. I had no idea The Geneva Convention restricts the use of laser weapons against humans.

The U.S. Navy has announced that the world’s first functional laser weapon is ready for action. The weapon, known as the Laser Weapons System (LaWS), can be found mounted on the USS Ponce, which is currently deployed in the Persian Gulf.

The weapon was designed to strategically take out flying unmanned vessels. It also has the ability to surgically destroy engines of manned watercraft without endangering the lives of any onboard personnel. The Geneva Convention restricts the use of laser weapons against humans, but the high precision of the laser could allow it to target a ship’s engine without the use of missiles. “That type of precision weapon work is something that you don’t really get with conventional weapons because there tends to be more collateral damage,” Inez Kelly, a U.S. Naval Forces Central Command science adviser, told CNN.

https://futurism.com/the-worlds-firs...o-protect-you/

[Bulletdog]

Man, we are in big trouble when SkyNet takes over...

[Big A]

Here's the Navy's new electro-magnetic rail gun:
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/07/...fire-test.html

Looks like it's time to refit the Iowa Class BB's

[moonshot]

Here is another one...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...mploy-powerfu/

Pretty interesting, if true, and makes a lot of sense. A forward or rearward-looking laser to burn the seeker of a missile could be a game changer in air superiority.

If the Ponce weapon can take out a UAV, why not a manned vehicle? Same for a boat. Screw the GA.

[Big A]

Here is another one...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...mploy-powerfu/

Pretty interesting, if true, and makes a lot of sense. A forward or rearward-looking laser to burn the seeker of a missile could be a game changer in air superiority.

If the Ponce weapon can take out a UAV, why not a manned vehicle? Same for a boat. Screw the GA.

Since they don't currently have a fully developed 5th Gen fighter I'll believe it when I see it. These weapon systems are not very small and require a lot of energy to power so shoving one into an Su-37 isn't really feasible at this time.

This is the current state of U.S. aircraft with a laser weapon on it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1

[chuckman]

Been done. I believe Dr. Evil was the first:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voSpOrimkMY

[docsherm]

Been done. I believe Dr. Evil was the first:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voSpOrimkMY

With a navel vessel, "ill-tempted Sea Bass" if I am not mistaken.

[Singlestack Wonder]

IIRC, the Geneva rules against laser use against humans refers to their use in intentionally blinding individuals. Laser use would probably be ok if a focused laser instantaneously created a hole where one's heart used to be without harming the innocents standing behind the hadji.

[chuckman]

This is the laser we need to field, the Tripod:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYGWG2_PB_Q

[Moose-Knuckle]

This is new?

Future Weapons did an episode on this eleven years ago.

If we're just now finding out it's operational that's code for it's been out for awhile.