Residents of a southern Israeli town want a real-life laser cannon to protect them against Palestinian rocket attacks. And they’re suing the national government, for failing to provide the ray gun defense. Danger Room from Wired.com
Category Archives: Laser Weapon
Police use laser-equipped firearms
Connecticut police use laser-equipped firearms to improve their accuracy.
Officers say they are now better prepared to deal with gunfights like the 2002 shootout between an Ansonia man and police outside the former Boston Billiards on lower Black Rock Turnpike.
The Police Department has acquired lasers for their .40-caliber Glock duty weapons using asset forfeiture funds from a prostitution investigation several years ago. The department bought 110 lasers, enough for every officer’s gun, at a cost of $229 each, said Capt. Gary MacNamara.
US to Sell Laser Guided Bombs to Saudi Arabia
The Bush administration officially notified Congress Monday of its intention to sell sophisticated precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia. The action, coinciding with President Bush’s visit to Saudi Arabia, is part of a broader U.S. effort to bolster Gulf allies in the face of a more assertive Iran. VOA’s David Gollust reports from the State Department. via: Israel News
Three jets get anti-missile laser
“Anti-missile lasers will be installed on three American Airlines planes that fly from Kennedy Airport to California as part of a $29 million federal program to see whether the devices can protect commercial aircraft from attacks.
The gizmos - which detect heat from a rocket and then fire a jamming beam - will be operational but won’t be tested on regular passenger flights, the airline said. They have already been tested on non-passenger planes. These tests will examine how the system weathers continuous takeoffs and landings.
The Department of Homeland Security is spending $29 million on the program - and Sen. Chuck Schumer said he’s glad the testing is moving along.
‘We have fought for these for a long time to make sure that our planes are safe,’ said Schumer (D-New York). ‘”
Benazir targeted with laser gun: Sherry
ONLINE - International News Network: “Central Information Secretary of Pakistan Peoples Party, Sherry Rehman has said that Benazir Bhutto was targeted with modern laser gun.”
Future Weapons Airborne Laser
Boeings Airborne Laser (ABL) will locate and track missiles in the boost phase of their flight, then accurately point and fire the high-energy laser, destroying enemy missiles near their launch areas.
YAL-1A Airborne Laser
The YAL-1A Airborne Laser is a modified Boeing 747-400F, used to target, track, and shoot down ballistic missiles during their boost phase using a megawatt-class laser.
Boeing Installs High-Energy Laser on Laser Gunship Aircraft
The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has installed a high-energy chemical laser aboard a C-130H aircraft, achieving a key milestone for the Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration program.
Boeing completed the laser installation Dec. 4 at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. The laser, including its major subsystem, a 12,000-pound integrated laser module, was moved into place aboard the aircraft and aligned with the previously-installed beam control system, which will direct the laser beam to its target.
With the laser installed, Boeing is set to conduct a series of tests leading up to a demonstration in 2008 in which the program will fire the laser in-flight at mission-representative ground targets to demonstrate the military utility of high-energy lasers. The test team will fire the laser through a rotating turret that extends through the aircraft’s belly.
