October 21, 2004

CRANK UP BRILLIANT PEBBLES:

Laser weapons prove their worth in guarding against mortar attacks (John Keller, October 2004, Military & Aerospace Electronics)

A laser weapon from the Northrop Grumman Corp. Space Technology sector in Redondo Beach, Calif., showed its ability to destroy incoming mortar rounds, strongly suggesting that laser weapons could be applied on the battlefield to protect against mortars artillery shells, and other tactical weapons.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 21, 2004 6:54 PM
Comments

I hadn't heard of this system yet, but it doesn't surprise me. It's a logical extension of our technology.

Now think about what the significance this has for the practice of politics by other means. What does an armed force do when all its weapons are rendered worse than useless by countermeasures such as those under discussion?

This is one of the things at stake in the coming election. Our weapons technology is moving the world to a situation of absolute American military supremacy. The alternative to American hedgemony is the Kerry permission-slip doctrine.

Posted by: Lou Gots at October 21, 2004 10:38 PM

absolute American military supremacy

on the battlefield

Posted by: Eugene S. at October 22, 2004 6:22 AM

To a man with a hammer, every problem is a nail.

To a nation with total military supremacy, all the world is a battlefield.

Posted by: David Cohen at October 22, 2004 7:24 AM

Precisely.

Posted by: Lou Gots. at October 22, 2004 10:24 AM

Gonna issue one of those puppies to every platoon?

DIVAD was abandoned because of the target acquistion problem.

This press release claims to have solved that, but I'd need to know a lot more. How much coverage, areal and sectoral? How quick a reaction time?

We have a target acquirer here in the county that can acquire a meteor or a ballistic missile, though only to look at it.

But it costs about $200 million, is as big as skyscraper and requires enough electricity to power a small town.

Mortar rounds cost about $50.

Posted by: Harry Eagar at October 22, 2004 5:19 PM

Dead soldiers cost the US gov't about $ 500,000 apiece, in terms of life insurance payout, and recruiting and training costs for a new soldier.

Keep enough soldiers from being killed, and the system pays for itself.

Posted by: Michael Herdegen at October 22, 2004 8:56 PM

Sure.

But mortar rounds are easy to distribute widely at low cost. These laser guided contraptions are not. At least, they don't look like it.

Anyhow, Orrin says we aren't going to have any casualties any more.

Posted by: Harry Eagar at October 22, 2004 9:45 PM

From mortars? Not enough to matter.

Posted by: oj at October 22, 2004 9:50 PM
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