Freakin' laser beams (Anti-aircraft laser unveiled at Farnborough Airshow)

[Duke]

Think its been posted before some time ago but thought it was worth doing again.

US firm Raytheon has unveiled its anti-aircraft laser at the Farnborough Airshow in Hampshire.

The Laser Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) can either be used on its own or alongside a gunnery system.

In May, the laser was used to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a series of tests.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10682693



For those that played C&C series - real life Obo is here

 

[Cosimo]

I bet they won't do a live demo.

 

[Marky]

Awesome!

 

[spicypixel]

I figure its fairly easy to counter.

 

[Marky]

I figure its fairly easy to counter.

Giant Flying Mirror?

 

[matt_fsr]

Awesome stuff - Yes, its still in its' infancy - but it'll grow.

Hoping that it wont be too far away from being able to knock out incoming mortar rounds, but AFAIK the difficulties are surely as much in spotting and targeting the round as in the laser power needed?

 

[GravyMonster]

I figure its fairly easy to counter.

Clouds?

 

[matt_fsr]

Giant Flying Mirror?

It'll be paired with existing Phalanx CIWS I reckon. 20mm cannon fires at 1/5 normal speed, shell shatters mirror, laser does the rest

 

[jp_bl_68]

but AFAIK the difficulties are surely as much in spotting and targeting the round

Laser guided laser, surely

 

[jp_bl_68]

It'll be paired with existing Phalanx CIWS I reckon. 20mm cannon fires at 1/5 normal speed, shell shatters mirror, laser does the rest

If the laser's powerful enough you won't need the mirror to be shattered.

 

["andy"]

Giant Flying Mirror?

time to invest in companies that deal with chroming technology chrome jet fighters

 

[Marky]

Clouds?

So it can bite through metal but clouds are too much for it?

My idea was better

GIANT FLYING MIRRORS IT IS! (That's right... plural A whole battalion )

 

[spicypixel]

Nah, just sink the floating platform its on, using submarines or long range hypersonic missiles

 

[UncleBensSauce]

Nah, just sink the floating platform its on, using submarines or long range hypersonic missiles

The current stuff they use is meant to be able provide some protection against missles - I would gues a laser will make it more effective at hitting fast moving targets not less!

 

[Strife212]

A mirror would just get burned through instantly.

 

[Ricochet J]

Next up: Death Star!

 

[spicypixel]

The current stuff they use is meant to be able provide some protection against missiles - I would guess a laser will make it more effective at hitting fast moving targets not less!

It took 20 seconds give or take to destroy the plane, which is less time than you have to track and fire on the missile, combine that with lots of missiles from multiple vectors (for arguments sake russia and china would spam lots) you only reduce incoming DPS

 

[Marky]

A mirror would just get burned through instantly.

I've thought more in-depth about this issue...

We just get a plane covered in a reflective material (As someone mentioned - a chrome jet ) - then they won't ever fire at the plane because it's 7 years bad luck!

 

[daz]

It will be a wavelength that goes straight through clouds

 

[Vulcan]

It took 20 seconds give or take to destroy the plane, which is less time than you have to track and fire on the missile, combine that with lots of missiles from multiple vectors (for arguments sake russia and china would spam lots) you only reduce incoming DPS

The current Phalanx system and it's missile counter part would have taken it down in a faster time that 20 seconds, so the laser is not better than those 2 systems at the moment. But the point is they are making progress.