Boeing succesfully tested it's lazer cannon! Now with link!
mother of pearl Send a noteboard - 03/09/2009 05:34:14 AM
Boeing announced yesterday that it successfully defeated a ground target using its Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) aircraft, marking the ship's first air-to-ground, high-power laser engagement. If the news sounds like something out of science-fiction, think again: Boeing has actually mounted a fully-loaded laser cannon on an airplane. This means that the military could potentially have access to a weapon that can annihilate the enemy without the collateral damage caused by rockets and bombs.
"During the test, the C-130H aircraft took off from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and fired its high-power chemical laser through its beam control system while flying over White Sands Missile Range, N.M," Boeing announced in this press release. "The beam control system acquired the ground target -- an unoccupied stationary vehicle -- and guided the laser beam to the target, as directed by ATL's battle management system. The laser beam's energy defeated the vehicle."
Boeing said that the ATL team plans to conduct additional tests to demonstrate the weapon's capabilities for the military, showing off its destructive vaporizing power for conduct missions on the battlefield and in urban operations.
Gary Fitzmire, vice president and program director of Boeing Missile Defense Systems' Directed Energy Systems unit, said that the weapon performed extremely well during the test, and that its three main components--the high-energy chemical laser, beam control system and battle manager--worked correctly in unison to provide an effective laser beam.
You have no idea how happy this made me. LAZER CANNON! And rail guns! Now all I need is a lightsaber and all of my geek dreams have come true! Okay, and maybe a gravity gun. And sex droids... GET WORKING SCIENTISTS!
Completely forgot to toss in the link.
"During the test, the C-130H aircraft took off from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and fired its high-power chemical laser through its beam control system while flying over White Sands Missile Range, N.M," Boeing announced in this press release. "The beam control system acquired the ground target -- an unoccupied stationary vehicle -- and guided the laser beam to the target, as directed by ATL's battle management system. The laser beam's energy defeated the vehicle."
Boeing said that the ATL team plans to conduct additional tests to demonstrate the weapon's capabilities for the military, showing off its destructive vaporizing power for conduct missions on the battlefield and in urban operations.
Gary Fitzmire, vice president and program director of Boeing Missile Defense Systems' Directed Energy Systems unit, said that the weapon performed extremely well during the test, and that its three main components--the high-energy chemical laser, beam control system and battle manager--worked correctly in unison to provide an effective laser beam.
You have no idea how happy this made me. LAZER CANNON! And rail guns! Now all I need is a lightsaber and all of my geek dreams have come true! Okay, and maybe a gravity gun. And sex droids... GET WORKING SCIENTISTS!
Completely forgot to toss in the link.
This message last edited by mother of pearl on 03/09/2009 at 08:23:20 AM
Boeing succesfully tested it's lazer cannon! Now with link!
- 03/09/2009 05:34:14 AM
702 Views
*NM*
Awesome! Ancient weapons and hokey religions.... you know the rest. *NM*
- 03/09/2009 06:21:32 AM
146 Views
The Android Girl/Boyfriend had compatibility issues, IIRC. 
- 03/09/2009 10:20:19 AM
334 Views
- 03/09/2009 10:20:19 AM
334 Views
Who does Boeing plan to shoot at?
- 03/09/2009 11:04:03 AM
312 Views
Boeing makes, or made, a lot of our military aircraft, too, y'know.
- 03/09/2009 02:36:15 PM
390 Views