[alaskanfan]

Other related weapons the U.S. military is developing include the Airborne Laser, a $3.7 billion project to mount a laser aboard a Boeing 747. The flying laser is being built to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles shortly after launch. Also under development are space-based lasers, which would also target ballistic missiles, and ground-based systems that could take out orbiting satellites.

That almost sounds like Reagan era star wars stuff.

And the detractors said it would never work. Not to mention the technology from those programs, that are in use today.

[Pontiac]

As it traveled at about 1,000 mph, it was tracked by radar and infrared heat sensors. Then it was locked onto and zapped by the laser beam traveling at light speed.

If you can target an artillery shell why not an incoming MIRV? It too would have a heat signature and I believe would be traveling significantly slower.