Someone knows something about lasers being used as weapons.

CDC ^ | 1/3/05 | Self

[Blood of Tyrants]

An anonymous source has pointed out to me that the government has anticipated terroris deaths due SPECIFICALLY to lasers for at least three years. The link above goes to a CDC page with a general outline of terrorism related deaths.

This link to Appendix 1 breaks them down to specific catagories. and if you scoll down to section E979.8 you will see the following:

E979.8 Terrorism involving other means

Drowning and submersion
Lasers
Piercing or stabbing instruments

It is my guess that after an incident involving a Navy officer in the Puget Sound where he was targeted by a Russian trawler and partially blinded by a laser that caused the US to consider lasers as a weapon.

Also, there are lasers available in the 40 watt range that are MORE than powerful enough to burn your retina inot toast. Green laser, 40 watt.

[HMFIC]

I know that my plasma rifle is in the 40 watt range.

[alancarp]

The Class IV lasers on this page are kinda scary. And pretty cheap, too. I particularly noted the phrase "Handheld Battery Powered Device Can Start Fires Over a Considerable Distance".

[xcamel]

Good luck buying one - they're like $20,000 each and you have to be Licensed by the feds to operate a laser (see http://www.lasercertification.org) over class 1b, I believe.

[Calpernia]

ping

[backhoe]

Here's what I have so far:

 Person Questioned About Laser Beam, Planes -- Have we not heard about lasers and pilots before this? Anyone? Anyone?

Yup-- 

 FBI Questions Person In Probe Of Lasers Aimed At Planes (Aimed at police helicopter)

 

 Man quizzed about laser incidents (aimed at pilots)

 

 Terrorist Fears Over Laser Attacks On Seven Planes

 

  Bright Lights, Big Responsibility 

 

  Seven Laser Incidents Reported at Airports Since Christmas ( a new one)

 

  FBI: Laser Beams Aimed Into Cockpits 6 Times Recently [Here we go]

 

 

 Six Planes Hit By Laser Beams in Past 4 Days

 For more threads on 'lazing' aircraft:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=laser

 Green Laser Stories

 http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041230/ap_on_re_us/laser_beam_airplane_5

 

  Lasers, A threat from below...

[RedBloodedAmerican]

you have to be Licensed by the feds to operate a laser

Umm....IIRC you have to be licensed by the Feds to fly a commercial Boeing 757/767 also...but I don't think that stopped anyone. Did it? And $20k is no problem to radical muslims

[johnb838]

My question is how does one go about shining a laser into the windows of a cockpit when the plane is at 9000 feet and going 300 mph? Wouldn't you have to be abov it?

[doc30]

The military has been aware of this threat for a long time. Fighter pilot face shields incorporate laser protection: http://www.gentexcorp.com/LifeSupport/visors.htm

The big advantage of protecting against lasers is that they all have discrete, narrow emission bands that can be selectively blocked while passing light that is not of a known laser frequency. The difficulty will be getting commercial airlines to buy them and getting the pilots to wear them.

[Calpernia]

Freeper Backhoe - Table of Contents of FreeRepublic

Mega Bumps to you!

[So Cal Rocket]

Here's an incident from May 04:

http://www.hbpd.org/pdf/pr_5-31-04.pdf

[ASA Vet]

Wouldn't you have to be abov it

[MEGoody]

Oh, there was talk about lasers on the news awhile back. Nothing new in that.

[backhoe]

Thank you both!

[StarCMC]

TOTALLY Off-topic, but I had to tell you I love your tagline...

[Lazamataz]

plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.

Just what you see on the shelves, fella.

[dumpdaschle]

Here is a story on Yahoo: FBI: No terror link in lasers aimed at aircraft

[Redcloak]

There's no such thing as a "Federal Laser License". There are State regulations that vary by type and usage, but these are health and safety rules. (Grounding, interlocks, workplace environment, etc.) Others (excimer lasers) have air quality regulations on how you handle and vent their gasses. Federal regulations are generally limited to labeling requirements on products.

[Redcloak]

You boys just don't know where to shop for these things...

Heh, heh, heh...

[TXnMA]

That is scary stuff!

When I was researching the damage to the Murrah Building, I was appalled at the detailed "explosives ('anarchists') cookbooks" that were on the WWW at that time. The laser equipment page you linked is almost as frightening -- if the plans, kits, etc. are actually available to anyone with $$...

IMHO, Homeland Security should be watching that place like a hawk! If they haven't already been visited by the FBI, et al, the entire HS bureaucracy should be fired!