Navy using a laser for Point Defense

[helolumpy]

So, does everyone on the ship need laser eye protection?
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/04/08/navy-unveils-drone-killing-laser-video

How about every ship in the area when you fire this thing off?

We're going to start using lasers in the Gulf... what's the worst that could happen????

 

[BackOrdered]

So, does everyone on the ship need laser eye protection?
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/04/08/navy-unveils-drone-killing-laser-video

How about every ship in the area when you fire this thing off?

We're going to start using lasers in the Gulf... what's the worst that could happen????

This part is what I can get behind:

"The Navy's top officer unveiled new technology Monday that allows ships to shoot down drones or other vehicles for about the cost of a pack of gum."

And the railgun already virtually buys itself each use compared to a Tomahawk. I hope we get to see both fully operational and underway in my lifetime.

 

[BigRed389]

So, does everyone on the ship need laser eye protection?
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/04/08/navy-unveils-drone-killing-laser-video

How about every ship in the area when you fire this thing off?

We're going to start using lasers in the Gulf... what's the worst that could happen????

Bah, easy fix: Standard issue SWO-akleys for bridge teams in the future.

Seriously though, conventional gun technology has pretty much peaked.

 

[Hozer]

Can you imagine the PAC-FIRE safety/shenanigans brief?

 

[BigBadBoJenkins]

This might be ignorance speaking, but I feel like a laser would be much safer for the user than a missile or even a gun.

 

[Jim123]

We're going to start using lasers in the Gulf... what's the worst that could happen????

When you wrote that, you had to have been thinking about this

 

[BackOrdered]

This might be ignorance speaking, but I feel like a laser would be much safer for the user than a missile or even a gun.

The need for ammo loading being taken completely out of the equation is a huge deal by itself.

 

[insanebikerboy]

In other news, the Navy saves even more money as the ship's gunner now has the collateral duty of fun boss....

 

[helolumpy]

This might be ignorance speaking, but I feel like a laser would be much safer for the user than a missile or even a gun.

Until we start blinding 20,000 fishermen in the Gulf or in C7F AO!!

 

[BackOrdered]

Until we start blinding 20,000 fishermen in the Gulf or in C7F AO!!

What seems to be the seductive intrigue to crowd a warship in the gulf in the first place? Go on them if you ask me.

 

[BigRed389]

Until we start blinding 20,000 fishermen in the Gulf or in C7F AO!!

Would you prefer we throw 20mm rounds their way? Water shots with flat trajectories can cause some pretty wicked ricochet patterns.

And I assure you, a CIWS trying to shoot down a missile does not give two shits about background shipping.

So a problem to be considered, sure. But if the situation has you employing a point defense weapon, your priorities in life have probably shifted drastically.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Wonder what the NOHD and beam divergence for that thing is. I don't see how we would be blinding anyone with it unintentionally.

 

[usmarinemike]

CentCom is the biggest laser safe range in the world so I think they're covered. And the 3710 says I shall wear LEP. Don't you wear LEP?

 

[phrogpilot73]

I think it's safe to say that this laser operates in a visible red spectrum, if it's in a visible blue spectrum, we know that it's the enemy. That's just common sense...

 

[BackOrdered]

I think it's safe to say that this laser operates in a visible red spectrum, if it's in a visible blue spectrum, we know that it's the enemy. That's just common sense...

Military doctrine as know by GI Joe's Cobra Command