Warships May Get Lasers For Close-In Defense 482
King Louie writes "Raytheon and the US Navy have successfully tested a ship-borne laser capable of shooting down aircraft. Video at the link shows the 32-kilowatt solid-state laser shooting down an unmanned aerial vehicle. The technology is apparently mature enough to be deployed as part of ships' short-range missile defenses, a role currently filled by the Basic Point Defense Missile System (based on the Sea Sparrow missile) and the Close-In Weapons System (based on a 20mm Gatling gun)."
One Question.. (Score:5, Funny)
Is it shark-mountable?
Re:One Question.. (Score:5, Funny)
Powered by wind (Score:4, Funny)
The best part is the Siemens Wind Energy Advertisment before the video. Apparently a with a few Windmills and a laser. Pew, Pew, Pew, we can finally have a green war!
Re:Yeah. (Score:2, Funny)
>> And what if it's a cloudy day?
Crank up Dark Side of the Moon and spark one?
Fricken ships! (Score:2, Funny)
The Navy should be warned before deployment (Score:2, Funny)
Pointing lasers at aircraft might get the navy arrested.
Man whatnow? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:One Question.. (Score:5, Funny)
Is it shark-mountable?
Now there's a stupid question. Where do you think the lasers COME FROM? Obviously the shark tank.
Re:One Question.. (Score:5, Funny)
Is it shark-mountable?
Probably, but it would burn the hell out of the shark's groin.
Re:Numerous advantages (Score:5, Funny)
Re:32 kilowatt!!! (Score:1, Funny)
Hanlon's corollary, part 2:
Never ascribed to stupidity that which is adequately explained by kdawson.
Re:Numerous advantages (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Question... (Score:5, Funny)
the shark will still bite you though but nice try
Re:Priorities (Score:3, Funny)
well, the unemployed, veterans and the ill could build, man and be targets for these devices if they had even the slightest motivation to be useful.
Yes but... (Score:5, Funny)
I see a great need... (Score:5, Funny)
I see a great need for a UAV-mounted Jiffy Pop module.
It is a moral imperative.
Re:Let's keep it orderly... (Score:5, Funny)
Red lasers on one side, blue lasers on the other. I keep forgetting which is which...
It's red lasers on the port side, green lasers on the starboard side showing from dead ahead to 2 points abaft of the beam. I thought everyone knew that.
Re:One Question.. (Score:5, Funny)
WARNING: Do not look at shark with remaining good eye.
Re:One Question.. (Score:5, Funny)
Don't know if we're just fishing for gaffs or trolling for comments, but some people sure have a whale of a time with their puns around here.
Obligatory (Score:3, Funny)
Re:32 kilowatt!!! (Score:1, Funny)
Re:The Navy should be warned before deployment (Score:4, Funny)
Pointing lasers at aircraft might get the navy arrested.
By you and what Army?
Re:Yeah. (Score:3, Funny)
And what if it's a cloudy day?
Then they use different weapons?
Did you think they were going to scrap all existing weapons and replace them with this thing?
Re:One Question.. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Yeah. (Score:2, Funny)
But, the REAL question is, am I immature enough to deploy the technology as part of my cubicle's short range coworker defenses?
Why yes, yes I am.
Re:One Question.. (Score:5, Funny)
Will you guys stop messing with my head? Literally...
Re:Navy's answer to Chinese Anti-Carrier Missile (Score:4, Funny)
It'd also be useless if the USSR reformed and launched a sneak attack in league with the martians, which is an equally relevant scenario in the current geopolitical climate and the scenarios for which this system is intended.