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Breakthrough Laser Could Revolutionize Navy's Weaponry
FoxNews.Com ^ | 1/20/2011

Posted on 01/21/2011 6:27:58 AM PST by Lazamataz

The Navy has passed a major milestone in its quest to build an incredibly powerful new anti-aircraft gun.

Scientists with the Navy's Office of Naval Research have demonstrated a prototype system capable of producing from thin air the electrons needed to generate ultrapowerful, "megawatt-class" laser beams for the agency's next-generation system.

(snip)

Navy ships have become vulnerable in modern times to supersonic missiles because of their slower defense systems, the agency worries. "The FEL is expected to provide future U.S. Naval forces with a near-instantaneous laser ship defense in any maritime environment throughout the world,” Saulter said.


(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: laser; miltech; usnavy
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To: org.whodat

Are you referring to that ray gun they have glued on the nose of a 747.

I hope those fly boys get crakin on that thing cause we gonna need it when HU decides to re-take Taiwan.


21 posted on 01/21/2011 6:52:01 AM PST by NeverForgetBataan (To the German Commander: ..........................NUTS !)
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To: org.whodat

Nobody said anything about free energy. ‘Free’ in terms of there are free electrons that form the beam, not light photons..............


22 posted on 01/21/2011 6:52:39 AM PST by Red Badger (Whenever these vermin call you an 'idiot', you can be sure that you are doing something right.)
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To: org.whodat

According to the article this is a FEL laser. The laser onboard the Air Force 747 is a chemical laser which is a logistics nightmare. This looks to be vastly superior to the chemical laser and even the solid state laser.


23 posted on 01/21/2011 6:53:25 AM PST by saganite (What happens to taglines? Is there a termination date?)
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To: SC_Pete

Who?


24 posted on 01/21/2011 6:53:32 AM PST by Mr. Lucky
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To: sauropod

read


25 posted on 01/21/2011 6:53:32 AM PST by sauropod (The truth shall make you free but first it will make you miserable.)
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To: TexasPatriot1
Better version:


26 posted on 01/21/2011 6:55:41 AM PST by Lazamataz (If Illegal Aliens are Undocumented Workers, than Thieves are Undocumented Shoppers.)
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To: org.whodat
No such thing as free energy, yet.

Wait 'til the State of the Union speech. I think Obama promised to cure cancer in his first SOTU, so he may promise free energy in the upcoming one.

27 posted on 01/21/2011 6:58:49 AM PST by ClearCase_guy
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To: drbuzzard
From your link:

Of course, the Navy still wants its laser to target and destroy incoming threats, and therein lies the challenge. The lower power threshold for a weaponized laser of this nature is more or less 100 kilowatts; the FEL at the DOE lab where the Navy has been sponsoring research currently runs at about 14 kilowatts. Boeing’s job is to make up the difference so the Navy’s FEL can perform tasks that require 50 watts, 100-plus kilowatts, and everything in between.

Sounds like it's a problem of scaling it up.

28 posted on 01/21/2011 6:59:20 AM PST by DManA
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To: Lazamataz

29 posted on 01/21/2011 6:59:33 AM PST by TexasPatriot1 ("Tyranny is defined as that which legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry" Jefferson)
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To: org.whodat
No such thing as free energy, yet.

"Why sir, how can you doubt me? As sure as the sun rises.... it's FREE! In fact, dear sir, DOES ANYONE CHARGE YOU MONEY FOR THE SUN? NO! NO, I say! The sunlight you have on your dapper suit, RIGHT NOW, is FREE! That, sir, is free energy and may God strike me dead right now if I lie."

30 posted on 01/21/2011 7:00:53 AM PST by Lazamataz (If Illegal Aliens are Undocumented Workers, than Thieves are Undocumented Shoppers.)
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To: TexasPatriot1

31 posted on 01/21/2011 7:02:51 AM PST by Lazamataz (If Illegal Aliens are Undocumented Workers, than Thieves are Undocumented Shoppers.)
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To: Lazamataz
Tech specs will be on Wikileaks soon thanks to a low-level illegal alien Navy enlistee upset over failure to pass the Dream Act.

Obama will go golfing...

32 posted on 01/21/2011 7:07:50 AM PST by DTogo (High time to bring back the Sons of Liberty !!)
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To: Lazamataz
lazer cat Pictures, Images and Photos

This could get messy.

33 posted on 01/21/2011 7:07:54 AM PST by TexasPatriot1 ("Tyranny is defined as that which legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry" Jefferson)
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To: Lazamataz
Can we make miniaturize this technology to fit it on an F-22/F-35/Pegasus/Phantom Ray/RQ-170 Sentinel? Could they disable TELs before they raise their missiles to launch position?
34 posted on 01/21/2011 7:08:51 AM PST by Tonytitan
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To: saganite

After working in the HEL field for more than 30 years, I think fiber lasers offer the best hope for every type of mission except the largest systems such as would be required to defend ship convoys from ballistic missiles.


35 posted on 01/21/2011 7:09:42 AM PST by Laserman
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To: DManA

That seems to have been the problem in directed energy weapons all along.


36 posted on 01/21/2011 7:12:02 AM PST by drbuzzard (different league)
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To: org.whodat
but the air force has been breaking through for about thirty years now

Sorry to bust your bubble, but the USAF has been working on chemical lasers. Not FELs. Big difference. The simplest difference is the logistics works for the FEL.

/johnny (former zoomie, disappointed that the USAF fell so far behind the USN)

37 posted on 01/21/2011 7:12:46 AM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Tonytitan
Can we make miniaturize this technology to fit it on an F-22/F-35/Pegasus/Phantom Ray/RQ-170 Sentinel? Could they disable TELs before they raise their missiles to launch position?

Miniaturization has never been a problem, all packages shrink in time. HOWEVER: The power requirements might put it out of the realm of being fighter-borne. This article references putting them on Naval vessels by 2018, and that's using the shipboard power plant.

38 posted on 01/21/2011 7:13:27 AM PST by Lazamataz (If Illegal Aliens are Undocumented Workers, than Thieves are Undocumented Shoppers.)
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To: Lazamataz

What does this have to do with women? /s

My favorite subject.


39 posted on 01/21/2011 7:14:50 AM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously..... You won't live through it anyway.)
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To: Vendome
Lasers can be used to kill other boyfriends.

Ergo, more available women.

Q.E.D.

40 posted on 01/21/2011 7:17:34 AM PST by Lazamataz (If Illegal Aliens are Undocumented Workers, than Thieves are Undocumented Shoppers.)
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