http://www.gizmag.com/us-navy-laser-weapon/35147/
The laser goes from the weapon of tomorrow to the weapon of today as the US Navy announces the completion of its successful deployment of the Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) Laser Weapon System (LaWS). The deployment is the first on a US Naval vessel and took place on the USS Ponce (LPD-15) in the Arabian Gulf from September to November of this year.
Developed as part of the ONR’s Solid-State Laser-Technology Maturation program, LaWS is part of the US military’s effort to develop a cost-effective, combat-ready laser prototype. While LaWS is not the first laser weapon ever to have been deployed, it is the first on a US Naval vessel and is a considerable advance on previous laser weapons.
According to the Navy, LaWS is capable of handling small attack boats, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and other asymmetric targets, and has a wide range of settings, ranging from the ability to “dazzle” people and sensors without destroying them, to being able to disable or destroy targets. It also has the advantages of being able to engage targets at the speed of light, not requiring ammunition, being able to operate so long as power is available, and has a cost-per-round of a about a dollar per shot – which is a considerable saving in an area when munitions can cost thousands or even millions apiece.
Well score one for America. Pretty happy to be able to say that to be honest, haven’t had much of that going on recently. This new laser gun is good for a couple reasons. 1) Engages targets at the speed of light. I’m no scientist but that seems like it’s pretty fast. 2) No ammunition required, can operate as long as power is available, and costs about a dollar per shot. I’m no economist, but that seems like it’s pretty inexpensive. As far as I’m concerned we are on the verge of wars just involving robots and lasers and whatever else fucking technology can pull out of its ass in the next five or ten years. Now this does scare me a little because those little fuckers over in China obviously blow us out of the water when it comes to technology, I’m sure they have laser guns and robots and that type of shit already but they just don’t like to flaunt their gigantic dick around like America does, well, because they don’t really know what it’s like to have a big dick. But as far as right now, today, since I have no other proof of any other weapon like this existing anywhere else, I’m going to go ahead and say that America took it’s spot back atop the world’s totem pole with this bad ass weapon. Here’s a look at the laser in action.
America. Fuck Yea.
welovefun 