Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: Admin on July 22, 2009, 08:37:00 AM

Title: military lasers, review on the current state of funding/research
Post by: Admin on July 22, 2009, 08:37:00 AM

An interesting article in IEEE Spectrum on lasers in the US military. I'm sure you guys have heard of ground based lasers shooting down rockets, and lasers on big airplanes . . . well, ABL and THEL are both canceled - basically deemed impractical in realistic battlefields.

But don't worry, the funding hasn't been canceled, just new laser technologies need to be researched.

(its related to robots cause no evil robot is complete without freakin lasers on its head)

http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/optoelectronics/ray-guns-get-real/0

(http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/image/266590)

Title: Re: military lasers, review on the current state of funding/research
Post by: SmAsH on July 22, 2009, 04:19:09 PM

hah, i knew ABL wouldn't make it :P going that far over budget is terrible...
zues looks promising though, reminds me of the days of command and conquer generals...

Title: Re: military lasers, review on the current state of funding/research
Post by: ozbot on August 16, 2009, 03:08:08 AM

"basically deemed impractical in realistic battlefields" - that's what they want you to think....

consider the B2 bomber.....according to wikipedia it has a top speed of 604mph.  It flew to afghanistan, ~8000 miles away?  at top speed, 13 hours one way, from whitman airforce base, missouri.  2 pilots in a plane for 24 hours? Is there room for a thunderbox in there? I think it more likely for these things to be classified, than admitted "hey, we have a new secret weapon...check it out!!" it is a matter of national security, no?

Title: Re: military lasers, review on the current state of funding/research
Post by: blackbeard on August 16, 2009, 11:47:53 AM

i seem to remember something about an airplane with a big lithium iodide (or something) laser on it to shoot down missiles already in service

Title: Re: military lasers, review on the current state of funding/research
Post by: SmAsH on August 16, 2009, 03:32:53 PM

really? i think i mightve seen something like that in one of my science magazines too?

Title: Re: military lasers, review on the current state of funding/research
Post by: wil.hamilton on August 16, 2009, 04:54:24 PM

the zeus sounds cool,  i've seen video of the THEL on modern marvels or something like that on the history channel

Title: Re: military lasers, review on the current state of funding/research
Post by: Joker94 on August 17, 2009, 06:13:02 AM

when you think about it. one the ABL are up and runnng and in service and if the Zues and or the THEL get into enemy hands the ABL is history, a 76.4 m long 214 500 kg missiel. But it would be cool to some day be fighting(not that fighting is good in any means) with lasers. The concept is cool and can be done from your verander. ;D