> The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has issued a $26.3-million contract to Lockheed Martin to design, develop, and build a high-energy laser for tests in

> The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has issued a $26.3-million contract to Lockheed Martin to design, develop, and build a high-energy laser for tests in a tactical fighter jet by 2021. So, if the recent history of Air Force procurement is anything to go by, we can infer that this laser will actually be ready for testing by 2029, the contact will actually cost $12 billion, and it will be an unreliable piece of junk when it does arrive. And that's just the prototype.