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>A clever configuration of industrial lasers is set to finally make laser weapons practical Finally? Really? Why is this a good thing? Because star wars manc

>A clever configuration of industrial lasers is set to finally make laser weapons practical Finally? Really? Why is this a good thing? Because star wars manchildren want to roleplay? We're looking at terrible burns and very high chances of being blinded. These weapons should be banned from use on humans.

fiblye 9y ago
The first use that came to mind for me was easily deployed and reusable missile defense systems. Not every country can spend billions on disposable anti-ballistic missiles, but lasers could eventually become affordable for most countries.
- John_KZ 9y ago
  Lasers can never replace anti-missile systems completely, simply because fog or rain will stop them. Also they're completely incapable of taking on reentry vehicles. Other energy weapons might do the trick, but they're not even in protytpe phase yet (as far as we know). The only thing lasers can do is provide low cost per shot for assymetrical warfare defence/offence. They also have other niche applications (ie sensor blinding/soft kill defense) and of course they can easily make warfare an even worse hell, with the next semi-symmetrical war leaving millions blind and hundreds of thousands rotting away from skin infections.
deleted 9y ago
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jakeogh 9y ago
It's not for humans, that's practically pointless for this type of weapon. It's for taking out things moving fast with sensor packages. Also Geneva convention. A "little" .50BMG will from 1910 will practically aerosolize a human.
pjc50 9y ago
They are banned for use on humans. Won't necessarily stop their use, like the Russians using a drop of nerve agent in the UK.
- jlebrech 9y ago
  there are banned for blinding enemy soldier, which indicently is the only use conventional cannot do. when laser do the same as conventional weapons, it won't be banned.
  - madengr 9y ago
    I’m sure the federal government will try to regulate laser firearms.
wnkrshm 9y ago
Lasers also make for horrible terror weapons. A scanner set up on some rooftop could cripple the sight of hundreds of people. Good that externalities such as cooling and power supply make that hard to achieve.

fiblye 9y ago

The first use that came to mind for me was easily deployed and reusable missile defense systems. Not every country can spend billions on disposable anti-ballistic missiles, but lasers could eventually become affordable for most countries.

John_KZ 9y ago
Lasers can never replace anti-missile systems completely, simply because fog or rain will stop them. Also they're completely incapable of taking on reentry vehicles. Other energy weapons might do the trick, but they're not even in protytpe phase yet (as far as we know). The only thing lasers can do is provide low cost per shot for assymetrical warfare defence/offence. They also have other niche applications (ie sensor blinding/soft kill defense) and of course they can easily make warfare an even worse hell, with the next semi-symmetrical war leaving millions blind and hundreds of thousands rotting away from skin infections.

deleted 9y ago

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jakeogh 9y ago

It's not for humans, that's practically pointless for this type of weapon. It's for taking out things moving fast with sensor packages. Also Geneva convention. A "little" .50BMG will from 1910 will practically aerosolize a human.

pjc50 9y ago

They are banned for use on humans. Won't necessarily stop their use, like the Russians using a drop of nerve agent in the UK.

jlebrech 9y ago
there are banned for blinding enemy soldier, which indicently is the only use conventional cannot do. when laser do the same as conventional weapons, it won't be banned.
- madengr 9y ago
  I’m sure the federal government will try to regulate laser firearms.

wnkrshm 9y ago

Lasers also make for horrible terror weapons. A scanner set up on some rooftop could cripple the sight of hundreds of people. Good that externalities such as cooling and power supply make that hard to achieve.