I'd bet that they're going to ammend the geneva convention to include lasers. I mean is there really any practical use for incinerating people on the battlefield?

try building your own comp. i find it's much easier to get it to work that way

and to hell with laser blasters, i want a fucking light saber!!!!!!!!

We have been working on a system like that for a while now I remember reading about a joint US Israeli program to build the same thing to keep hezbollah Rocket attacks from hitting into israel.

I for one can't wait till we have AT AT walkers and a deathstar.

The laser system they are building is for shooting down incoming rockets and aircraft, so no big worry there. However, and I am sure _DictionaryGirl_ will agree with me, lasers shooting at rockets is even cooler that lasers shooting at ground troops.

Star Wars blaster tech involves a force field envelope containing some sort of energy (not laser energy). They are expelled from the weapon and when they come across any resistance the force field is sort of forced out of the way so said resistance then suffers burn damage from the energy. Lightsabers are based on a similar principle but are more efficient because the energy is being constantly recycled, at least until you start cutting things with it.

...Or so I read somewhere, many years ago, when I wanted to find out why Star Wars laser blasts didn't travel at the speed of light.

In the past few decades the more advanced militaries have contemplated developing laser weaponry for use somewhere other than in/from space. These plans have always been rejected before any serious money is spent. This is because laser energy is light energy, and the only counter you need is a conveniently-placed mirror. Imagine how much cheaper it would be to develop a defence against a laser weapon than to develop the weapon itself. We won't be seeing any Star Wars battles anytime soon.

I suspect this contract is more about making money than giving the troops a practical defence against incoming missile attacks and the like. Maybe I'm wrong and modern tech is capable of such a thing; in which case I'd rather have a lightsaber to do my gardening with.

(And they've been trying to do the battle computer thing for decades. I suspect they can't keep up with the tech advancements.)

They sure are cooler that way. However, neither of these options can hold a candle to lasers shooting at large, futuristic industrial facilities that are controlled by the forces of badness which then explode into an enormous mushroom cloud of flame on the horizon at night as you and your gang of disheveled, badness-fighting space comrades watch from across an alien desert before bouncing up to orbit and leaving the quadrant in your star-cruiser full of bravos. Sure you guys break all the rules but somehow you get it right in the end.

Boeing need to pull their sock up a little in the old ambition department if you ask me.

The thing to me that is unnerving as hell about announcements for these sorts of high-budget projects for the military (yes, I am aware that $7 - 50 million is not exactly huge, but could make a huge difference in what I am talking about) is that we aren't even training troops as thoroughly as we should be, nor sending them into Iraq with body armor or those humvees that are resistant to IEDs. I'm all for technology, but only after the troops get the more basic supplies everyone seems to agree they deserve.

It's too bad the lasers are invisible and make no sound. I'd give anything for a giant red bursts of pewpewpew!

i think we are failing to see the bright side here. everyone know giant lasers mounted on trucks help fight tooth decay. duh! i also heard they help with after school programs too.

Lasers are awesome!

Pew pew pew pew!

Shall we play a game?

I read about those lasers in 1999/2000 I think, They have been around for awhile now. Defiently geek cool but when you think about it its awhole new level of destructive power, very very destructive.
I wish the Military would be asked if not forced to develop non lethal weaponry. There was a lot said about it in the 80's then ..... nadda. If i can find links on said non lethal weapons i'll post some.

The Israeli invention is a rocket launcher that detects RPG fire and fires its own RPG at it so that it explodes at some distance. Lasers are too slow to acquire for hitting RPGs, which have short "in air" times.

As for the article, im reminded of this article:

Peace activist admits barrett 50 call rifle is "pretty cool"

a weapon of such nature would not be used on troops (for the most part, haha). weaponry, buildings, vehicles (air or ground), etc would be the focus.

the barrett is bad ass. my preferred toy is the m240b, with the m249 a close second.

The enemy is dead. There's a practical use. =P