Air Force Plans to Arm Next-Gen Fighters with Laser Weapons

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CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

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The US Air Force is looking ahead to the next generation of fighter jets weapons platform and wants to arm them with high-powered lasers. The Department of Defense is apparently already on board with the concept and the Air Force plans on have a working test of the platform within ten years.

The Air Force added in its request that it is currently investigating laser and beam control systems independent of the platform from altitudes up to 65 kilofeet — or around 12 miles — and speeds upward of Mach 2.5, the equivalent of 1,854.543225 miles/hour in dry air.
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Who are we going to fight with this shit? Don't we have other ways to spend this money?
 
bucketlist said:
Who are we going to fight with this shit? Don't we have other ways to spend this money?
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Why do I have to pay for car insurance? I never use it for anything!

It's better than using it for some entitlement leeches.
 
Power is still a massive issue, it will be interesting to see what solutions are presented.
 
Liqq said:
Why do I have to pay for car insurance? I never use it for anything!

It's better than using it for some entitlement leeches.
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You think spending money on weapons that we have nobody to fight with is better then feeding the poor and starving? You are a disgusting person, typical yank.
 
Liqq said:
It's better than using it for some entitlement leeches.
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The military is an entitlement, and everyone who benefits from it is an entitlement leech. If government restrictions didn't make it impossible for me to obtain refined plutonium then I could have my own private nuclear deterrents and I wouldn't need a military. The right to bear arms doesn't have an exception for nuclear arms you know.

Anybody know if there's a waiting list for these laser planes? I'd like to order a couple.
 
I'm all for awesome lasers and pew pew pew, and stuff that goes BOOM.

But how many tens/hundreds of billions will this cost? Pretty sure that money could be better used to pay off our debt, or upgrade our dilapidated power grid, or fix our paltry average data network speeds over DSL/cable.
 
bucketlist said:
Who are we going to fight with this shit? Don't we have other ways to spend this money?
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Yeah, there are better ways to spend this country's money than on finding new ways to kill other people.

It's seriously disgusting where this country's priorities lie.

I can name about a good number of things that can benefit from the over-ballooned defense budget:
- Infrastructure-- Rebuild or replacement of existing roads, highways and bridges.
- Single-payer national health insurance
- Funding social security
- Investment in green energy resources
- Space exploration which in turn benefits ground-based employment and related facilities.
- Reforming the education system
- Mental health care which in all honesty is better than attacking gun control.
- National living wage of $1000 to $2000 a month for those making below a certain income
- Rebuilding schools
- Lowering the national debt and reducing deficit spending
- Improving areas hit by natural disasters
- Reducing health care and college tuition costs
- et cetera.
 
Spazturtle said:
You think spending money on weapons that we have nobody to fight with is better then feeding the poor and starving? You are a disgusting person, typical yank.
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Even worse, when he's talking about "entitlement" he's talking about the term used for Social Security, so he's naively saying that people who pay into Social Security their whole lives are leeching off of everybody else when they actually draw from it.

This is why Fox News is so unhealthy for the brain.
 
The US Air Force hasn't faced any real adversary in decades. It's easy to think you're a bad ass when you can fly around in virtually unopposed skies and pushbutton kill people you can't even see over the horizon.
 
"Car insurance", huh?

How much does the rest of the world pay for their, "Car Insurance"?

Wikipedia, "Top Military Spenders Yearbook 2013"

1 United States United States 682.0 billion
2 China People's Republic of China 166.0 billion
3 Russia 90.7 billion
4 United Kingdom United Kingdom 60.8 billion
5 Japan Japan 59.3 billion
6 France France 58.9 billion
7 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabiay 56.7 billion
8 India India 46.1 billion
9 Germany Germanyx 45.8 billion
10 Italy 34.0 billion
11 Brazil Brazil 33.1 billion
12 South Korea South Korea 31.7 billion
13 Australia Australia 26.2 billion
14 Canada Canadax 22.5 billion
15 Turkey Turkeyxz 18.2 billion
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Why do we need to spend 3.x times more than the closest "enemy" on that list spends? More than the next 13 nations in 2011? Because business rules America, and war is the biggest business on the planet. The "war on terror" was advanced to allow the Military Industrial Complex to creep into all aspects of our lives, to "grow" that business.

/If you do the math, the other 14 countries on the above list combined spend 750 Billlion. We spend more by ourselves than 13 of those countries on that list spend combined.


A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction...

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military–industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.

,Dwight D. Eisenhower
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In the post WW2 era America's treasury was lush. The politicians got used to spending money on anyone or anything. Defense projects, social programs, everybody wanted something, everybody had a pet project. But the economy has been in a steady decline since then, and they still haven't learned to live within our means. Instead they've become reliant on credit to buy thing which we will never pay off, leaving that bill to future generations unborn.
 
octoberasian said:
Yeah, there are better ways to spend this country's money than on finding new ways to kill other people.

It's seriously disgusting where this country's priorities lie.

I can name about a good number of things that can benefit from the over-ballooned defense budget:
- Infrastructure-- Rebuild or replacement of existing roads, highways and bridges.
- Single-payer national health insurance
- Funding social security
- Investment in green energy resources
- Space exploration which in turn benefits ground-based employment and related facilities.
- Reforming the education system
- Mental health care which in all honesty is better than attacking gun control.
- National living wage of $1000 to $2000 a month for those making below a certain income
- Rebuilding schools
- Lowering the national debt and reducing deficit spending
- Improving areas hit by natural disasters
- Reducing health care and college tuition costs
- et cetera.
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-The money for infrastructure is there already if the money wasn't being blown on entitlement bullshit
- Don't start with the healthcare bullshit.
- Have you seen how much money the government has lost on "investing" in green energy? and where has it gotten us? oh thats right, damn near nothing.
- Money isn't the problem with education.
- Paying people to do nothing, gee, how could that possibly go wrong???
- Money for schools is already there.
- Not the federal governments job to completely rebuild areas hit by natural disasters.
- Check out Obama care, turns out the government sucks at spending others money.

So basically you made a useless list liberal dreams, congratulations.
 
darkstarcow said:
-The money for infrastructure is there already if the money wasn't being blown on entitlement bullshit
- Don't start with the healthcare bullshit.
- Have you seen how much money the government has lost on "investing" in green energy? and where has it gotten us? oh thats right, damn near nothing.
- Money isn't the problem with education.
- Paying people to do nothing, gee, how could that possibly go wrong???
- Money for schools is already there.
- Not the federal governments job to completely rebuild areas hit by natural disasters.
- Check out Obama care, turns out the government sucks at spending others money.

So basically you made a useless list liberal dreams, congratulations.
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So, what would you rather have the money spent on instead of new weapons?
 
darkstarcow said:
-The money for infrastructure is there already if the money wasn't being blown on entitlement bullshit
- Don't start with the healthcare bullshit.
- Have you seen how much money the government has lost on "investing" in green energy? and where has it gotten us? oh thats right, damn near nothing.
- Money isn't the problem with education.
- Paying people to do nothing, gee, how could that possibly go wrong???
- Money for schools is already there.
- Not the federal governments job to completely rebuild areas hit by natural disasters.
- Check out Obama care, turns out the government sucks at spending others money.

So basically you made a useless list liberal dreams, congratulations.
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Oh look another sub-human talking about how helping other people is so bad and how progress is horrible.

Guess what, the money would also be their is it wasn't wasted on military bullshit, which has gotten what? On wait nothing, all the money spent on the military has achieved nothing.
 
Lith1um said:
Why do we need to spend 3.x times more than the closest "enemy" on that list spends?
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Several reasons:
1) The war in Afghanistan is still going on.
2) We're still paying off debts incurred from the Iraq War.
3) Supplying allies isn't cheap.
4) We need to have a far more global reach and capability equal to the next 13 nations due to our national security interests.
5) The U.S military relies on maintaing a technological edge over our opponents to compensate for the relative lack of manpower we have as well our need to have a widespread reach. As such, technological progress means paying bleeding edge pricing.
6) Poor oversight of development and acquisition costs of several military projects (F-35 program for one).
 
Liqq said:
Why do I have to pay for car insurance? I never use it for anything!
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Yeah I'd be pissed too if I spent upwards of 20% of my salary on insurance, but I don't pay anywhere near close that amount... and worse too is that 20% isn't even of the "salary" but it's putting most of it on a credit card.




the equivalent of 1,854.543225 miles/hour in dry air.
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WTF, are these my students? Who feel the need to write down every number that comes out of a calculator because they feel that all those additional digits actually mean something?
 
Spazturtle said:
You think spending money on weapons that we have nobody to fight with is better then feeding the poor and starving? You are a disgusting person, typical yank.
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Apparently you have not seen these "poor and starving" using their welfare checks to buy mass amounts of food and having another shopping cart full of booze and junk food that they pay for with cash, while they are also driving around in BMWs and/or Escalades.

And where I am, you can get government subsidized housing if you are making less than 100k per year.

So yes, they are leeches, working the system.

Popping out babies as well. The more they have, the bigger the check from the government.
 
Lasers because conventional ammunition that eventually expends all its energy and falls to earth rendered mostly harmless is too old fashioned. Better to have weapons that can shoot for miles ruler straight and bring collateral damage to more people.
 
cyclone3d said:
Apparently you have not seen these "poor and starving" using their welfare checks to buy mass amounts of food and having another shopping cart full of booze and junk food that they pay for with cash, while they are also driving around in BMWs and/or Escalades.

And where I am, you can get government subsidized housing if you are making less than 100k per year.

So yes, they are leeches, working the system.

Popping out babies as well. The more they have, the bigger the check from the government.
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rofl, proof please...
 
madmat said:
Lasers because conventional ammunition that eventually expends all its energy and falls to earth rendered mostly harmless is too old fashioned. Better to have weapons that can shoot for miles ruler straight and bring collateral damage to more people.
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Wait... did you think through what you wrote?

"bring collateral damage to more people"... from lasers. Lasers which are so accurate they are developing methods of using them to cut out brain tumors. In what way does that introduce more collateral damage than a 2000lb bomb?

In the very very long run the cost would be repaid in what we would save in bombs and bullets. Shit, we just made the USAF "greener"! Hippies around the world can rejoice.
 
Too inefficient.

We have an extremely powerful airborne LASER. We put it on the shelf years ago.
 
octoberasian said:
So, what would you rather have the money spent on instead of new weapons?
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How about just once we try letting that money stay in the taxpayer's wallet where it belongs?

Wonder what effect that would have on the economy? It wouldn't collapse, but rather, people would be able to spend the money to meet the needs of their families, or save for the future.

Instead, politicians use the war machine to mask unemployment and to redistribute wealth.
 
I went to General Dynamics in San Diego, California to witness a Union Carbide synthetic ruby laser.

It was a solution looking for a problem in 1970.

To this day, the yield from a laser ain't shit.

I'd rather hit them with a MASER and melt every IC chip on board.
 
roflmywaffle said:
Wait... did you think through what you wrote?

"bring collateral damage to more people"... from lasers. Lasers which are so accurate they are developing methods of using them to cut out brain tumors. In what way does that introduce more collateral damage than a 2000lb bomb?

In the very very long run the cost would be repaid in what we would save in bombs and bullets. Shit, we just made the USAF "greener"! Hippies around the world can rejoice.
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I assume that he/she was referring to high energy light traveling incredible distances at virtually instantaneous speeds. IF you miss, and machines/humans always do from time to time, you have to pray that you don't lase a collateral target somewhere on the horizon.
 
The Best Weapon System for today's threats is intelligence gathering and web-attacks.

Wait. Everyone cries like a baby when we use those.
 
cyclone3d said:
Apparently you have not seen these "poor and starving" using their welfare checks to buy mass amounts of food and having another shopping cart full of booze and junk food that they pay for with cash, while they are also driving around in BMWs and/or Escalades.

And where I am, you can get government subsidized housing if you are making less than 100k per year.

So yes, they are leeches, working the system.

Popping out babies as well. The more they have, the bigger the check from the government.
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really where is my BWM id love to have one
im on SSI btw a whole 700 bucks a month WOOO
most of that pays my rent and food
 
oh and that section 8 housing? 18 month waiting AT LEST and only cuts about 100 bucks a month off your bills
so instead of 50 bucks a month left over after bills id have 150 WOOO ROLLING IN THE MONEY NOW!
 
Liqq said:
Why do I have to pay for car insurance? I never use it for anything!

It's better than using it for some entitlement leeches.
Click to expand...

Yes much better for my money to line the pockets of defense contractor CEOs than to help people that actually need it. :rolleyes:
 
LMFAO. Right. After they get the F35 finished, fully tested, and deployed...which will be sometime in the 2020s because they just HAD to go the "jack of all trades" route which will be quickly outclassed by foreign fleets of specialized aircraft.
 
We already made the F-35 mistake. It was called the F-111. Clusterfuck.
 
Lith1um said:
Why do we need to spend 3.x times more than the closest "enemy" on that list spends?
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How many on that list want to do away with America? How many on that list have the same number of enemies that want to do away with them? "Hate America" seems pretty prevalent in the world - just read any the forum posts in this thread alone. You don't hear a lot of "Hate UK" or "Hate Canada". When people see "Hate America" as a prevalent attitude they respond from fear and act accordingly. You may see it as unjustified expenditures but those in charge of the purse strings have a much different picture.

I'll put it this way. If your whole neighborhood seemed like it was out to get and you couldn't move, and you had the money, wouldn't you drive an armored car, wear a bullet-proof vest, keep high-tech alarms and guard dogs, a fenced yard, and carry a weapon? Or would you just drive a Civic, live in a trailer, and just hope nobody carries through with their "Death to Lith1um!" threats?

Remember, they only have to succeed in destroying you once. You have to succeed in preventing that with eternal vigilance. Can you really put a price tag on protecting your citizens?
 
@Phoenix

Responding with an armored vehicle is kind of excessive in a residential neighborhood. Spending more on the rest of the list combined is then akin to driving home in a brand new main battle tank.

Moreover the only ones on the list who dislike us sometimes are the Ruskies, none of them want to do away with us. If our leaders truly though otherwise and had that mentality during the Cold War, none of us would be left talking about this today.

The money could better be spent on building infrastructure, investing in research and development, and thereby keeping good jobs in the United States.
 
WWI = US entered war with total crap, tens of thousands of US soldiers slaughtered.

WWII = US entered war with total crap, tens of thousands of US solders slaughtered.

Korean War = US enter war with total crap, tens of thousand of US soldiers slaughtered.

Vietnam War = US enters war with wrong equipment, tens of thousands of US soldiers slaughtered.

Gulf War = US enters war with state-of-the-art equipment, less than 1000 US soldiers die.

Seeing a pattern yet?
 
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