ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A plane at Kirtland Air Force base has been blasting some targets at White Sands Missile range without bullets or bombs. Instead, the plane employs a laser as its weapon of choice.
The Air Force has just released the video the futuristic weapon at work. This is the first time the weapon was successfully fired at a target with the intent of damaging it.
Planes with frickin' lasers on them. How cool is that?
Now, it raises an interesting question, though. Once all is said and done, and energy-based weapons are the norm rather than the exception, will all projectile-based weapons be considered "antique" like black powder currently is considered? Will 2010 be the new 1899? Once we have reliable, mass-produced laser guns hitting the streets, won't mere projectile weaponry be antiquated? And another point: Would/will energy-based weapons be prohibited from the average citizen? It seems that this might be the perfect 2A test case - see if privately owned laser weapons are allowed or banned.
May you live in interesting times indeed...
That is all.
12 comments:
I'll take a phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range :D
Just what you see in the case, pal.
"When phasers are outlawed only Klingons will have disrupters."
Wait, no! ... that's not right.
sure, but can it fill a house with popped corn??
"sure, but can it fill a house with popped corn??" Absolutely, if you have a big enough Jiffy Pop!
YESSSS!
They took two of the coolest things in technology and put them together.
PLANES WITH PHASERS!!!!
I wonder if we could set them to "stun"?
[/fangirling]
It's a question of energy density. In order to do the equivalent damage that bullet does in the same amount of time, a laser would not be man portable.
I don't know about you, but I'm not gonna stand still for the few seconds it takes to heat up a spot.
won't mere projectile weaponry be antiquated?
Only as long as no one develops energy shielding... After all, random-assed, uncontrolled nuclear reactions are bad news for all parties involved.
Don't hold your breath for a man-portable one.
18 tons and the size of 6 large cars for the (chemical) power supply is "big".
In that case I'll take a longslide .45 and an uzi. At least with those I don't need to worry about crossing the streams. Pretty cool if laser weapons are a reality in our lifetime. I'm sure the USAF would have tons of volunteers if they announced they were recruiting to build a Death Star.
Several states already regulate class III & up lasers under radiation safety law. If you really wanted a laser weapon, you could probably create something light, but you'd need one long extension cord to connect you to your 20-to-30 amp power source, IMHO.
...and early portable computers weighed 25 Lbs. and the 1st cell phones were the size and weight of bricks.
....it's only a matter time. Have faith in technology. It won't be the first time Si-Fi tech became reality.
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