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The Navy released a video of a ship-mounted laser shooting down a drone (see above link). The US MIC moves forward with development of 'directed energy' weapons, which shoot energy, such as light, sound, or microwaves, rather than lumps of metal. A writer named Jack Satterfield compares it to the adoption of firearms in the 17th century:
Directed energy is to current weapon systems as current weapon systems are to edged weapons. Present-day weapons are often collectively described as “kinetic” because they rely on the striking power of projectiles to destroy targets and utilize operating concepts that are completely distinct from that of directed energy, which involves no projected mass but only energy
Michael Rinn, head of Boeing Directed Energy Systems (DES) in New Mexico notes that their lasers have a shorter "logistical tail" than current weapons systems. Their shots travel at the speed of light, and they don't run out of ammunition. Both development and operational costs are lower, according to Rinn.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rinn
Our biggest hurdle is educating the warfighter about directed energy, understanding the power of an invisible tiny spot of energy moving at speed of light, and learning how to use it is a paradigm shift in how we fight.
Here's a youtube of the HEL MD truck that Boeing DES has been working on. It is expected to be ready for production around 2015.
In a time of an expanding "terrorism bubble" (as Thomas Friedman put it), and ongoing economic crises in the West, the US MIC continues to offer these kinds of 'feel good' news stories to reassure us, and brighten up our day. We might need our military superiority as we move forward. Or more hopefully, as Rush Limbaugh used to say, you build some weapons systems so that you don't have to use them.
"you build some weapons systems so that you don't have to use them."
That is something the "cut the military spending" club doesn't understand. Or the fact that we come up with the latest and greatest then it's stolen and handed to China and the like so we have to stay one step ahead. Our stealth chopper that went down in the bin hinden "raid" is a good example of why we now will have to come up with something better because they will know how to take that bugger out now.
"you build some weapons systems so that you don't have to use them."
That is something the "cut the military spending" club doesn't understand. Or the fact that we come up with the latest and greatest then it's stolen and handed to China and the like so we have to stay one step ahead. Our stealth chopper that went down in the bin hinden "raid" is a good example of why we now will have to come up with something better because they will know how to take that bugger out now.
I'm a member of the "cut the military spending" club...a proud member in fact.
I'm not against all military spending. Hell, i work for the military and make a good living doing it. But i don't buy the notion that we need to drop 700 billion a year on defense. Sorry, but that sh*t doesn't make any sense. A great general named Eisenhower agreed with me, and did so at the height of the Cold War.
Well, there is no more Cold War, but we're spending money as if there are 3 Cold Wars. If spending on entitlements is unsustainable, then so is large scale defense spending.
We should be spending half of what we're presently spending. At least back to 2001 levels. 700 billion is asenine. And spending billions to defend wealthy nations that can afford their own defense is stupid. We're being played for fools, and people like yourself seem to enjoy it.
Yes, billions spent on a laser weapon, while deadly diseases like Cancer, Alzheimer's, HIV continue to decimate humanity.
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