The Air Force Will Have Combat Lasers On Its War Planes By 2020

[Megalith]

I only have one question. Which company—Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, or Boeing—is best capable of creating the Vic Viper?

These armaments, dubbed directed-energy weapons pods, will be mounted on American warplanes and serve to burn missiles, UAVs -- even other combat aircraft -- clean out of the sky. "I believe we'll have a directed energy pod we can put on a fighter plane very soon," Air Force General Hawk Carlisle said at a Fifth-Generation Warfare lecture during the Air Force Association Air & Space conference earlier this week. "That day is a lot closer than I think a lot of people think it is."

 

[pxc]

pew pew pew

 

[Weenis]

No comment

 

[DPI]

Cool. To fight whom? A guy riding a goat?

Our military doctrine is still stuck in the last century. Which is why it's nothing more than a socialized jobs program at this point.

 

[roma]

They'll have something to go with their glitter and tutus. Crank up the Donna Summer..

 

[JokerCPoC]

Vic Viper?

As a concept it sounds similar to the "Colonial Viper" of Battlestar Galactica from 1978, which had some type of laser armament.

Still this is interesting.

 

[Kibagami]

America!, Fuck Yeah!

 

[cyclone3d]

Cool. To fight whom? A guy riding a goat?

Our military doctrine is still stuck in the last century. Which is why it's nothing more than a socialized jobs program at this point.

So what.. you want us to go back to the 6th century backwardsness of the Islamists, except for the fact that they also like to use modern weaponry, sodomize boys, rape women, and blow themselves and anyone in their vincinity up.... all because they believe they will go to heaven and have 30 virgins they can rape?

Or should we have a more rational thought process and plan where we continue to advance technology so we can squash like a bug anyone who tries to attack us?

 

[HFBallad]

Having a strong military serves as a deterrent against other potential adversaries. China, in particular, has began challenging US claims to the Pacific.

At any rate, I'm rather amazed that we'll (well, the military, anyways) have a portable generator/battery capable of generating that kind of power. Isn't the current airbone laser platform limited to 767 (or other very large aircrafts) carrying a large generator aboard?

 

[Semantics]

Cool. To fight whom? A guy riding a goat?

Our military doctrine is still stuck in the last century. Which is why it's nothing more than a socialized jobs program at this point.

Join the Mobile Infantry and save the Galaxy. Service guarantees citizenship. Would you like to know more?

 

[Flogger23m]

Having a strong military serves as a deterrent against other potential adversaries. China, in particular, has began challenging US claims to the Pacific.

This. Hate to burst people's bubbles, but if we aren't leading the world militarily someone else will. And with that comes alliances, trade and the ability to get things done in our interests. Anyways, new tech needs new counters. With the possibility of the Russians and Chinese having tech which can minimize the effectiveness of the AIM-120 and similar, new weapons have to be developed to stay ahead. Maybe lasers are a part of that.

Of course, we can always retire our military, get out of world trade/politics and become isolationists.

 

[evilsofa]

Will this be useful for close ground support, or are we going to continue to completely ignore the idea that we might want to shoot at things on the ground within 500 meters of friendlies for more than 5 minutes at a time? (See this and ignore the silly title)

 

[jojo69]

Join the Mobile Infantry and save the Galaxy. Service guarantees citizenship. Would you like to know more?

LAWL

 

[Bootleg Usher]

The lasers in the photos are all red and shiny, but can you actually see lasers in real life?

 

[Naieve]

Having a strong military serves as a deterrent against other potential adversaries. China, in particular, has began challenging US claims to the Pacific.

At any rate, I'm rather amazed that we'll (well, the military, anyways) have a portable generator/battery capable of generating that kind of power. Isn't the current airbone laser platform limited to 767 (or other very large aircrafts) carrying a large generator aboard?

The airborne laser you are thinking of was a chemical laser that required an airliner size aircraft to house it and its fuel. The age of solid state lasers is now upon us. Most people simply don't understand the level of miniaturization that this implies. Or the fact that they will be able to power it simply from their aircraft power systems and capacitors.

It's a whole new world buddy.

 

[krotch]

The lasers in the photos are all red and shiny, but can you actually see lasers in real life?

Depends on the laser and what it's being shot through.

Course usually, these military lasers aren't. Like the Navy's laser or the ICBM laser the USAF made before. They're in a wavelength the eye can't see.

 

[sfsuphysics]

So we'll have USEFUL lasers by 2020 that can fit on fighter jets... and how long after does China mysteriously develop them too due to spying?

 

[krotch]

So we'll have USEFUL lasers by 2020 that can fit on fighter jets... and how long after does China mysteriously develop them too due to spying?

My guess, probably never. They can copy the looks, but they can't copy the actual technology.

 

[MV75]

So we'll have USEFUL lasers by 2020 that can fit on fighter jets... and how long after does China mysteriously develop them too due to spying?

Just like every thing they invent, they probably had this technology already 100 years ago but don't know what to do with it.

 

[DogsofJune]

Why are sharks being left out?

 

[Modred189]

THe B-1 is begging for this kind of weapons system. 48k lbs of bombs plus a chemical laser system. YES PLEASE

 

[heatlesssun]

"Lasers can't even penetrate our navigation shields." Jean-Luc Picard

 

[naib]

Why are sharks being left out?

they are not. Sharknado 4, with frickin lasers

 

[heatlesssun]

they are not. Sharknado 4, with frickin lasers

I wouldn't put is past them. These movies really suck but I love them!

 

[Comixbooks]

I don't even want to see America by that year Trump running for a 2nd term everyone hating on him for putting Lasers instead of Snakes on a plane.