Boeings new "Ray Gun" ready for deployment

[TheTman]

A short video about Boeing's new laser gun that can shoot down missiles, planes, drones, and even artillery and mortar rounds while in flight:
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/..._0514_vid.html

They say it's fully functional and ready for deployment on the battlefield.

[JohnR]

Cool!

I hear they're developing a handheld version too.

[Longitude Zero]

OOH la la.

[mr surveyor]

that would make a heck of a survey buggy

[muggsy]

A short video about Boeing's new laser gun that can shoot down missiles, planes, drones, and even artillery and mortar rounds while in flight:
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/..._0514_vid.html

They say it's fully functional and ready for deployment on the battlefield.

We ought to send a couple dozen over to Israel. They could really use them. Should keep our military safer, too.

[downtownv]

Chicken in Chief fears it would violate EPA Standards......

[O'Dell]

I wrote an article about this system for a military magazine several months ago. It's really quite a remarkable device and is operational now.

[xsailer]

We ought to send a couple dozen over to Israel. They could really use them. Should keep our military safer, too.

Not too sure about that. If it ever got captured our Air superiority change immediately.

[muggsy]

Not too sure about that. If it ever got captured our Air superiority change immediately.

I'm sure that it has a self destruct button. Hell, I can ruin something electrical in a matter of seconds.

[xsailer]

Yeah. I wish they had one the drone Iran captured.

[jlottmc]

That's cool, but I have some rhetoric questions: How many countries use a UAV or UCAV? How does the system do against multiple inbound threats? I remember more than one artillery attack and it was never a single shot. Biggest threat is mortars followed by artillery, missiles are expensive, and hadji doesn't have many. What about IED's, or an electronic attack? I assume that they have to link up to other radar systems due to a lack of on board radar, either stealth or an attack on the wireless connection might play hell with this toy. Like I said it's cool, but cool doesn't bring you home at the end of the day.

[yqtszhj]

Do I have to do ATF paperwork to get one of those or can i order it on the internet and have it shipped to the house?

[Planedude]

That's cool, but I have some rhetoric questions: How many countries use a UAV or UCAV? How does the system do against multiple inbound threats? I remember more than one artillery attack and it was never a single shot. Biggest threat is mortars followed by artillery, missiles are expensive, and hadji doesn't have many. What about IED's, or an electronic attack? I assume that they have to link up to other radar systems due to a lack of on board radar, either stealth or an attack on the wireless connection might play hell with this toy. Like I said it's cool, but cool doesn't bring you home at the end of the day.

The current thought on the laser is a part of the puzzle. To pick one scenario, that of a outpost or "firebase", The laser and its sensors would sweep the skies for incoming fire (mortar or artillery), calculate and engage the most dangerous oncoming threats and send an out going "stamp of disapproval" before the first rounds have time to land. If you can track the threat well enough to lase it, then you know exactly from where the round came. The equally developed Dragon fire II auto-loading mortar unit could be retuning fire (counterbattery) before the BGs can roll up their tent and run...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdunGQYmzro

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/weapons/a/dragonfire.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77nVrVyXi_o

The high tech is catching up to the low tech "lob a few and run" tactics of our enemies.

[jlottmc]

Sounds all well and good, but these technologies are still in their infancy. As time works the bugs out and brings the cost down, I may get more excited. Many times hadji is still close enough to find with a moderately calibrated Mk1 mod 0 eyeball. Add in a little close air support and well there's video of what happens then too.

[Planedude]

Got to love your friends in the AC-130U... And they will be getting a new bird, an AC-130J in the next couple... And yes a turreted 60Kw+ laser is being considered as part of the package. That weapon would be for self defense from shoulder fired and mobile launcher SAMs as well as a "low collateral" offensive weapon. Lasers don't ricochet!


Good stuff is coming, pending funding...