Military laser weapons

[GunnyGene]

Seems that the military might get their hi-power lasers in the next few years if field testing pans out.

The US Army is planning to deploy the first laser weapons in 2023, it has been revealed.

Mary J. Miller, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Research and Technology, told the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities 'I believe we're very close,' when asked how close the Army is to developing offensive and defensive directed-energy weapons.

She said the programmes would be extensively tested as the Army wants to understand the lasers' full capabilities 'before we offer it to a Soldier.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3470246/US-Army-laser-weapons-2023-research-bosses-say-killer-technology-close.html#ixzz41eocbA5w
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[Fox Mike]

That cold be a serious 'bad news' weapon if perfected. I can see many, many eye injuries coming from the use against a ground based enemy.

 

[GunnyGene]

That cold be a serious 'bad news' weapon if perfected. I can see many, many eye injuries coming from the use against a ground based enemy.

It would be more than eye injury. A 150KW laser will remove your entire head and cauterize whatever is left over in a microsecond. Beam size on these is about 16"dia or bigger. They are not man carryable anyway. Down side is they are line of sight, which at sea means around 7 miles before something pops up over the horizon if the laser turret is at say 40' above sea level. The higher you are the farther the range. Also, weather degrades the beam strength.