COIL ... I love that acronym! If we can get this approach to be successful, I’ll finally be convinced that Reagan’s SDI dream will be fulfilled in the lifetime of my children regardless of the innovations that ballistic missile constructors may attempt. Other approaches they try will be increasingly expensive and prone to system failure.
You're too late. The COIL is already very successful in your lifetime. Land based versions have been around for decades. The only trick has been to install them in aircraft. There have been issues with messy, dangerous chemicals, etc. The targeting is actually easier in a high altitude aircraft, since the atmospheric distortion is likely less.
Have you not heard the lefts new SDI mantra?
We have gone from “we can’t because impossible” to “we can’t because too expensive.”
The 1950’s movie “the persuaders” (I think that is the name) about cold war era peacenik groups being moles for communists was precient to today’s left.