Depends on the solution for atmospheric jitter. Taking a shot at long range is problematic, as dispersion and diversion of the beam occurs. Best to fire a laser defense from a high altitude position or from a space location.
The target image is roiled by refraction, reflection—obscured by dust, aerosols, clouds. The firing solution is where the target is in most probability located at a predicted moment of intercept.
“Depends on the solution for atmospheric jitter. Taking a shot at long range is problematic, as dispersion and diversion of the beam occurs.”
I thought ultra-high-power laser beams simply blasted though all of that by ionizing the atmospheric gases into a plasma channel ...
example:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolaser
You mean you just don't wave it around? Hmmmmmmmm.....
Or perhaps within a precisely calculated cone of entry? Expecting it to only intercept at one point and no others would be a bit limited. So everything with a trajectory and direction that makes impact with your protected area likely gets zapped. If it’s another stupid sewer-pipe missile from Ghaza and it’s heading for an open field, it would ignore it. But if it’s heading for Sderot or Be’er Sheva...ZAP!