Lightning laser weapon developed by US Army.

[Bwaha]

US Army scientists are developing a weapon which can fire a laser-guided lightning bolt at a target.
The Laser-Induced Plasma Channel (LIPC) is designed to hit targets that conduct electricity better than the air or ground that surrounds them.
The weapon went through extensive testing in January.
George Fischer, lead scientist on the project, said: "We never got tired of the lightning bolts zapping our simulated [targets]."
Details of the weapon were released on the US Army's website.
Mr Fischer explained how the usually unpredictable lightning bolts can be controlled.
"If a laser puts out a pulse with modest energy, but the time is incredibly tiny, the power can be huge," Mr Fischer said.
"During the duration of the laser pulse, it can be putting out more power than a large city needs, but the pulse only lasts for two-trillionths of a second."
50 billion watts This means, Mr Fischer said, the air could be manipulated to "act like a lens".
"We use an ultra-short-pulse laser of modest energy to make a laser beam so intense that it focuses on itself in air and stays focused in a filament," he said.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18630622

[llkinak]

George Fischer, lead scientist on the project, said: "We never got tired of the lightning bolts zapping our simulated [targets].

Well duh. When's that ever get old?

[Hida Akechi]

1) How much damage does it actuall do?

2) What is it's range. A couple of meters is uselss.

3) I want one.

[Cyberknight]

Originally Posted by Hida Akechi

3) I want one.

Well, duh. Who wouldn't?

[PhilipLaos]

This one seems more practical.

8 January 2013

Rheinmetall demos laser that can shoot down drones

A laser weapons system that can shoot down two drones at a distance of over a mile has been demonstrated by Rheinmetall Defence. The German defence firm used the high-energy laser equipment to shoot fast-moving drones at a distance.

The system, which uses two laser weapons, was also used to cut through a steel girder a kilometre away. The company plans to make the laser weapons system mobile and to integrate automatic cannon.
The 50kW laser weapons system used radar and optical systems to detect and track two incoming drones, the company said. The nose-diving drones were flying at 50 metres per second, and were shot down when they reached a programmed fire sector.



The weapons system locked onto the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by using radar for a rough approximation of the location of the targets, then fine-tuned the tracking using an optical system. The high-energy laser system was used to cut through a 15mm-thick steel girder, and to shoot out of the air a steel ball designed to mimic a mortar round.

More at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20944726

[llkinak]

It's only a matter of time...

[GCoyote]

The interesting bit about the lightening version is that it has potential as a less-than-lethal system. You need the occupants of that car for questioning? No problem, just zap the electronics and pick them up after it coasts to a stop. Think of it as EMP for a point target.

[Hida Akechi]

Originally Posted by Cyberknight

Well, duh. Who wouldn't?

And it's fully covered by my 2nd Amendment rights, dammit!

[Bwaha]

Shocking isn't it...

[Hida Akechi]

*rimshot*

I saw what you did there...