Star Wars weapons systems

[Rickshaw Phil]

The US military has fitted a prototype laser turret to one of their warships and is putting it into service in the Persian Gulf for the first time. Link to story.

I should be in awe that the sci-fi future promised all these years has actually arrived. Unfortunately though, the schoolboy in me is struggling to take it seriously due to the fact the ship that has been so equipped is USS Ponce.

 

[4F]

The US military has fitted a prototype laser turret to one of their warships and is putting it into service in the Persian Gulf for the first time. Link to story.

I should be in awe that the sci-fi future promised all these years has actually arrived. Unfortunately though, the schoolboy in me is struggling to take it seriously due to the fact the ship that has been so equipped is USS Ponce.

A slight flaw "Lasers don't work well when it's rainy or dusty"

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

A slight flaw "Lasers don't work well when it's rainy or dusty"

Yes, there is that as well. Just as well they're not sending it anywhere it'll have to cope with damp or dust..... oh, hang on a moment.

 

[mr messy]

Didn't we see the trials couple years ago where it performed admirably?



View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUusHbKEji4

 

[Lance Jack]

".......phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range?"

 

[edindave]

".......phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range?"

Funny how I seem to read this in an Austrian accent.

 

[MontyVeda]

Unfortunately they'll be all too eager to play with their new toy, just like in 1945... that was a real blast.

 

[marknotgeorge]

Because some bright spark decided the best place to design & build nuclear reactors for submarines is a city in the middle of the country, Derby's affiliated Royal Navy ship in recent years is a submarine. Currently it's HMS Ambush, one of the latest. Now, Ambush, I'm sure you'll agree, is a proper warlike name. Unlike Melton Mobray's ship, HMS Quorn, which is named after a vegetarian sausage.

 

[Hacienda71]

I wouldn't broadcast this around too much as @fossyant will want one to strap one to his panniers as a rear light.

 

[classic33]

I wouldn't broadcast this around too much as @fossyant will want one to strap one to his panniers as a rear light.

Nowt wrong with that.

 

[MikeG]

I'd bet your bike, Phil, that this weapon is much more effective as a piece of propaganda than as an armament. Lasers only work in a straight line, and so many modern weapons are "over the horizon" stuff where straight lines are a handicap. I don't think we'll ever know whether this thing actually works, and I wouldn't be in the least surprised if it doesn't in practicality. But it's another big scary stick to wave around at all the world's naughty boys, and that is the limit of its role. IMHO, of course.

Mike

 

[Cycling Dan]

Unfortunately they'll be all too eager to play with their new toy, just like in 1945... that was a real blast.

Some may say it was such a blast it was radioactive.

Playing with there new toys was a reason but there was more to it than you post suggests.
Just the fact the invasion would have cost a few extra million us troops to invade the jap homeland.
That possibly played a part.

 

[classic33]

I'd bet your bike, Phil, that this weapon is much more effective as a piece of propaganda than as an armament. Lasers only work in a straight line, and so many modern weapons are "over the horizon" stuff where straight lines are a handicap. I don't think we'll ever know whether this thing actually works, and I wouldn't be in the least surprised if it doesn't in practicality. But it's another big scary stick to wave around at all the world's naughty boys, and that is the limit of its role. IMHO, of course.

Mike

Fired from a 747 http://www.thelocal.se/discuss/index.php?showtopic=28940

 

[ComedyPilot]

Amazing that a country so full of its own back-slapping, self-congratulatory, 'If you ain't american, you ain't sh*t' bollix spends so much money on weapons (to kill) when people in their own country need food/shelter/education/healthcare.....?

 

[Cycling Dan]

The US armed forces are a bit behind. I have been using laser beams for a few months now. That's why I don't have as many videos as I just kill them these days as it's easier. (Refer to my "do you report it" thread if you don't get it)