The Reagan

[Plane]

http://mae.pennnet.com/display_article/325964/32/ARTCL/none/none/1/Laser-weapons,-on-target/?dcmp=ENL


Decades of research and funding have led to the development of a laser weapons component for the U.S. military. What was once science fiction is now becoming a viable tool as the first laser weapon?the U.S. Missile Defense Agency?s (MDA?s) Airborne Laser (ABL)?is set to be fielded within a couple years.

The ABL, contained in a converted Boeing 747-400F jetliner, will be another arrow in the MDA?s already formidable quiver, evidenced by its recent shootdown of a malfunctioning U.S. radar surveillance satellite, known as USA-193.

The U.S. is by far the leader in laser weapons technology, with many of its major laser programs already reaching important milestones in 2008.

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?ABL?s weapon system integration team has done a tremendous job installing major components of the high-energy laser aboard the aircraft, and they remain on track to reach the missile shoot-down demonstration planned for 2009,? says Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of ABL integrator Boeing Missile Defense Systems.



JHPSSL

Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach, Calif., meanwhile, is working on another important military project called the Joint High-Powered Solid State Laser (JHPSSEL) program to create kilowatt-class tactical weapons

The JHPSSL system is designed to accelerate solid-state laser technology for military uses, including force protection and precision strike missions for air-, sea-, and ground-based platforms.

Officials at Northrop Grumman have completed the second major demonstration milestone for the JHPSSEL Phase 3 program.

The team demonstrated a laser chain?the first part of a solid-state demonstrator laser designed produce 100 kilowatts of laser power, Northrop Grumman officials say. ?With the successful demonstration of a complete laser chain?the building block of the fully integrated solid-state laser?the hardest part is over,? Wildt says.

[kimba1]

uhm the question was never that it works.
the question is that you can never prove it works a 100% of the time.
ex. how hard can it be to make a missle partially undetectable enough for some to slip by.
we`re talk percentages here
acceptable losses cames into play

[Plane]

uhm the question was never that it works.
the question is that you can never prove it works a 100% of the time.
ex. how hard can it be to make a missle partially undetectable enough for some to slip by.
we`re talk percentages here
acceptable losses cames into play

Makeing the missle undetectable is 100% impossible.

The enemy must never know exactly how many might slip by or be stopped before they attack , the enemy can't know that his attack will be effective enough to prevent retaliation.

The Patriot was the first system with any pretense of reliability in striking incomeing missles , the Patriot success rate against Scud missles? 50%

[Amianthus]

uhm the question was never that it works.
the question is that you can never prove it works a 100% of the time.

A rifle doesn't work 100% of the time.

I don't think anyone has suggested that we stop arming our infantry with rifles.