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Laser Military Weapons
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Published: February 6, 2007
Rayguns, phasers, and the Death Star are items the public usually associates with laser weapons. For decades the perception has been that laser weapons were the future of military technology. However, it turns out that replacing projectile guns with laser weapon technology is not as simple as it appears in the movies.
Today, lasers are used for everything, from surgery to board room presentations to theme park light shows. But there still hasn't been much of an advance in laser military weapons. In 1988, a large scale examination was made into how to include laser weapons technology into U.S. military forces. Ultimately, it was determined that lethal laser weapons would likely be too expensive and unwieldy to be effective in combat; however, it was assumed that low powered laser weapons could be used as incendiary or irritant devices to compliment modern weaponry.
As early as 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed off on a program that would spend $50 billion dollars trying to develop satellite-oriented laser weapons technology that was intended to intercept Soviet missiles. However, the laser weapons program was a bust and has lead many to question spending even more money on an unproven technology when modern equipment has served the armed forces so well. Proponents of the laser weapons program are quick to point out that at some point the military had to evolve from the bow to the musket.
In recent years, technology has improved to the point where laser military weapons aren't as far out a concept as they were in the 1980s. In 2004, a laser weapons turret meant to be mounted on a modified 747 was tested as a means to safely shoot down ICB missiles. However, the program's cost effectiveness, accuracy, and sustainability has come under heavy fire as the laser weapons budget ballooned from $1 to $7 billion dollars.
More practical use is sure to be found in recently tested laser weapon technology for ground troops. A non-lethal device, a laser emitter mounted on the back of a Jeep or similar vehicle, shoots a beam that can incapacitate a human within 500 yards by heating their skin to 130 degrees in a period of a few seconds. These kinds of laser military weapons show great promise for troops in dangerous war zones, and will probably be adequately deployable within the next five years.
The future of laser military weapons, at least for the next ten or twenty years, is probably not going to advance any further than it is today. Space, air, and ground based laser missile defense platforms are still being funded and developed, but the results of that research will likely not come into fruition until the early 2010s. Personal laser weapons are still a far fetched idea; however, non-lethal laser weapon technology for ground units will continue to be developed.
The truth of the matter is, while laser weapons technology is a fantastic and exciting field, scientific and financial limitations make it a largely impractical idea to replace modern projectile weapons. Yet historical progression dictates that eventually something, be it laser weapons or something else entirely, will phase out modern guns. Scientific breakthroughs and technological progression will dictate this course, but don't be surprised if sometime in the next hundred years science fiction becomes science fact.
Sources:
Cirincione, Joseph. “Regan's ‘Star Wars' Proposal is more Illusionary than Movie.” National Center for Policy Analysis. 2001. 1 Feb. 2007 <http://www.ncpa.org/bothside/krt/krt061799b.ht ml>.
Lyles, Gen. Lester and Daniels, Col. John. "Review and Assessment of the Airborne Laser Missile Defense System." The George C. Marshall Institute. 26 Jan. 2006. 1 Feb.2007 < http://www.marshall.org/article.php?id=393>.
Milik, Tariq. “The Power of Light: An Airborne Laser for Missile Defense.” Space.com. 17 Nov. 2004. Imaginova Corp. 1 Feb. 2007 <http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/airbor ne_laser_techwed_041117.html>.
Minor, Elliot. “Ray Gun Makes Targets Feel Like They're on Fire.” Associated Press. 25 Jan. 2007. 1 Feb. 2007 <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16794717/wid/11915 829?GT1=8921>.
Mirra, Maj. David. “Lasers and Their Potential for Tactical Military Use.” GlobalSecurity.org. CSC 1988. 1 Feb. 2007 <http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library /report/1988/MDR.htm>.
Today, lasers are used for everything, from surgery to board room presentations to theme park light shows. But there still hasn't been much of an advance in laser military weapons. In 1988, a large scale examination was made into how to include laser weapons technology into U.S. military forces. Ultimately, it was determined that lethal laser weapons would likely be too expensive and unwieldy to be effective in combat; however, it was assumed that low powered laser weapons could be used as incendiary or irritant devices to compliment modern weaponry.
As early as 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed off on a program that would spend $50 billion dollars trying to develop satellite-oriented laser weapons technology that was intended to intercept Soviet missiles. However, the laser weapons program was a bust and has lead many to question spending even more money on an unproven technology when modern equipment has served the armed forces so well. Proponents of the laser weapons program are quick to point out that at some point the military had to evolve from the bow to the musket.
In recent years, technology has improved to the point where laser military weapons aren't as far out a concept as they were in the 1980s. In 2004, a laser weapons turret meant to be mounted on a modified 747 was tested as a means to safely shoot down ICB missiles. However, the program's cost effectiveness, accuracy, and sustainability has come under heavy fire as the laser weapons budget ballooned from $1 to $7 billion dollars.
More practical use is sure to be found in recently tested laser weapon technology for ground troops. A non-lethal device, a laser emitter mounted on the back of a Jeep or similar vehicle, shoots a beam that can incapacitate a human within 500 yards by heating their skin to 130 degrees in a period of a few seconds. These kinds of laser military weapons show great promise for troops in dangerous war zones, and will probably be adequately deployable within the next five years.
The future of laser military weapons, at least for the next ten or twenty years, is probably not going to advance any further than it is today. Space, air, and ground based laser missile defense platforms are still being funded and developed, but the results of that research will likely not come into fruition until the early 2010s. Personal laser weapons are still a far fetched idea; however, non-lethal laser weapon technology for ground units will continue to be developed.
The truth of the matter is, while laser weapons technology is a fantastic and exciting field, scientific and financial limitations make it a largely impractical idea to replace modern projectile weapons. Yet historical progression dictates that eventually something, be it laser weapons or something else entirely, will phase out modern guns. Scientific breakthroughs and technological progression will dictate this course, but don't be surprised if sometime in the next hundred years science fiction becomes science fact.
Sources:
Cirincione, Joseph. “Regan's ‘Star Wars' Proposal is more Illusionary than Movie.” National Center for Policy Analysis. 2001. 1 Feb. 2007 <http://www.ncpa.org/bothside/krt/krt061799b.ht ml>.
Lyles, Gen. Lester and Daniels, Col. John. "Review and Assessment of the Airborne Laser Missile Defense System." The George C. Marshall Institute. 26 Jan. 2006. 1 Feb.2007 < http://www.marshall.org/article.php?id=393>.
Milik, Tariq. “The Power of Light: An Airborne Laser for Missile Defense.” Space.com. 17 Nov. 2004. Imaginova Corp. 1 Feb. 2007 <http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/airbor ne_laser_techwed_041117.html>.
Minor, Elliot. “Ray Gun Makes Targets Feel Like They're on Fire.” Associated Press. 25 Jan. 2007. 1 Feb. 2007 <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16794717/wid/11915 829?GT1=8921>.
Mirra, Maj. David. “Lasers and Their Potential for Tactical Military Use.” GlobalSecurity.org. CSC 1988. 1 Feb. 2007 <http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library /report/1988/MDR.htm>.
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