>The MOD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has hosted the UK’s first high-powered, long range laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) trial on its ranges at Porton Down.
>The trials involve firing the UK DragonFire demonstrator at a number of targets over a number of ranges, demanding pinpoint accuracy from the beam director.
>These tests improve the UK’s understanding of how high-energy lasers and their associated technologies can operate over distance and defeat representative targets.
>The ability to deliver high levels of laser power with sufficient accuracy are two of the major areas that need to be demonstrated in order to provide confidence in the performance and viability of LDEW systems.
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, 8 November 2022.
I’m not impressed until we mount them on sharks. Dolphins would also be acceptable.
It’s 50kW, their electric bill’s going to be ridiculous.
So, genuine question and apologies if I sound like an idiot –
If this was properly developed and deployed, could an enemy, say an enemy with thousands of MIRV nuclear warheads mounted on sub-orbital missiles, fire a massive attack against the UK, and with a quick Eric Prydz show in the eastern sky the whole lot would be disabled before they hit their targets?
Like, is that where we’re reasonably getting towards now?
Meanwhile, I sit there in my shed trying to get my dirt cheap, Chinese laser cutter working…
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Excerpt:
>The MOD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has hosted the UK’s first high-powered, long range laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) trial on its ranges at Porton Down.
>The trials involve firing the UK DragonFire demonstrator at a number of targets over a number of ranges, demanding pinpoint accuracy from the beam director.
>These tests improve the UK’s understanding of how high-energy lasers and their associated technologies can operate over distance and defeat representative targets.
>The ability to deliver high levels of laser power with sufficient accuracy are two of the major areas that need to be demonstrated in order to provide confidence in the performance and viability of LDEW systems.
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, 8 November 2022.
I’m not impressed until we mount them on sharks. Dolphins would also be acceptable.
It’s 50kW, their electric bill’s going to be ridiculous.
So, genuine question and apologies if I sound like an idiot –
If this was properly developed and deployed, could an enemy, say an enemy with thousands of MIRV nuclear warheads mounted on sub-orbital missiles, fire a massive attack against the UK, and with a quick Eric Prydz show in the eastern sky the whole lot would be disabled before they hit their targets?
Like, is that where we’re reasonably getting towards now?
Meanwhile, I sit there in my shed trying to get my dirt cheap, Chinese laser cutter working…
“I’m doing my part!”