In warfare, soon or later (probably soon) ground based laser weapons would become able to track and shot down any AC (should it be a manned or unmanned AC). Either by burning electronic embedded systems, blinding the pilot or digging holes in any AC frames. As it is (as it seem) impossible to protect effectively the pilots, the electronics, the airframes against powerful laser weapons, this laser threat is really going to ruin any air supremacy either manned or even unmanned... as well as the military AC industry altogether ! Note : some eyes protection googles do exist, but they will NEVER be able to protect military crew against powerful blinding laser weapons ! Arguments against these facts ?
Force-shields? A shield that absorbs the laser energy and makes the plane stronger. Or even just a mirrored aircraft that reflects the laser
WEll, your facts seem to me to be a bit curious. Firstly, hows a laser going to burn embedded electronic systems? If you mean melt the radome, sure, but otherwise would you like to be more specific? Secondly, have you factored in the effects of clouds, rain, mist into your super powerful laser. Third, what evidence do you have for the extremely broad claim that laser goggles wont protect crews eyes, given such simple unalterable facts as a limited amount of wavelengths for efficient useful lasers? Slacker47- go back to sleep.
Use rockets that contain heaps of particles, then fire them at ground based lasers. When they burst open, particles of shiny, heat resistant ceramics are flung everywhere, which soak up the laser. No one had been able to use mirrors to effectively divert a laser, as all mirrors contain tiny imperfections that lead to thermal feedback followed by more imperfections in the mirror which leads to more feedback and then pretty soon the mirror melts.
"Use rockets that contain heaps of particles, then fire them at ground based lasers. When they burst open, particles of shiny, heat resistant ceramics are flung everywhere, which soak up the laser." how are you going to know the lasers are there?
About 3 questions from Guthrie : Firstly, hows a laser going to burn embedded electronic systems? If you mean melt the radome, sure, but otherwise would you like to be more specific? Secondly, have you factored in the effects of clouds, rain, mist into your super powerful laser. Third, what evidence do you have for the extremely broad claim that laser goggles wont protect crews eyes, given such simple unalterable facts as a limited amount of wavelengths for efficient useful lasers? ANSWERS (in form of new questions) : 1 - I suppose the local heat of the laser would disable embedded electronic systems. 2 - Rain, mist, etc.. would modern "powerful" lasers stopped by that ? 3 - Eyes protection : yes, now only limited amount of wavelengths for lasers are available, but how long before increasing this amount and making real damages, even with protective googles ? REMARK : I suppose that the more the googles are protecting effectively, the less the aircrew could see through these googles !
From CATO : how are you going to know the lasers are there? Well, I don't know ! Could we suppose that the laser weapon are coupled with a tracking radar and that the IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) system of the aircraft will warn the aircrew that they are getting spotted by the enemy radar ? Then, how would the aircrew know what kind of weapon is aimed at them (missile or laser), I don't have the answer.
You suppose? So your laser targetter is going to keep the laser focused on burning through mm thick aircraft Aluminium over an area of a few square millimetres on a target flying at 600mph, and burn through enough to destroy the fibre optic cables most aircraft use nowadays? WEll, sure, its almost possible, but requires such a level of fiddliness and so much energy that its not really worth doing. 2- look at the wavelengths in use. In order for long distance, ie several Km use, you need a beam at a wavelength that will not lose too much energy to the molecules in the atmosphere. I forget what teh wavelength is, but suffice it to say, it is still affected by water etc. If on the other hand you wanted to use a maser, then, yes you probably could get through cloud etc, but I havnt read of any of them being used. Wheres Stokes pennwalt, he knows about this sort of thing. 3- you cant change the wavelengths available, though I suppose if you made some breakthroughs in physics you might be able to make more powerful lasers in other wavelengths that would therefore make up for energy lost in transit.
as far as I know you'd have to have an outrageous and huge laser to keep the beam focused at any significant distant. that's why these news reports of pilots being blinded or flash with lasers nearly anyone can are bullshit. ive had to opportunity to mess with some pretty decent lasers and their beams were dispersed in 200 yards to the point they couldn't cause any trouble. as far as co2 lasers and the like go, if they could be feasibly used as weapons wed be using them all over the place by now. cutting lasers are a cumbersome setup.
Well, interesting to read your comments from all of you which look logical and knowledgeable. They are going quite against the public claim that lasers are the "ultimate weapon". Meanwhile, the reports of "dazzling lasers" used volontary or by accident against civilian or military aircrew are not "bullshit" at all : they are regularly reported in several specialised flight safety magazines like FOCUS which is the official UK flight safety magazine ! On the other hand, frequents reports about individuals on the ground being hurted by laser targeting systems during military exercices involving AC (fixed wings AC or helicos) are true as well. In all cases, several retina's injuries have been reported from distances much longer than 200 yards.
Huh ?... there was a reply before Hapsburg and JMB ones ! Where has it gone ? Somebody did delete it ? WHY ?
And you believe that why? For whatever reason, you're wrong. The fact is that I did not delete any posts in this thread nor can I see any indication that another moderator did either. :m: Peace.
Something was definitely deleted here. I know it, because I posted it. But if not goofyfish, then who? *cue Pink Panther theme* Where oh where could the cowardly, skulking bah-stud (emulating bad British accent) be? Oh where oh where? Oh Carmen Sandiego, we knew it was you, you old broad, you! Now c'mere so we can all hump your leg! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Airplanes could carry their own chaff, too, so when they get struck by a beam, bam, big spray of stuff into the atmosphere. Or fire chaff rockets above the lasers to put a bunch of shit in the atmosphere to interfere with the beam. As sooon as we figure out fision, though, we'll have super power ground lasers.
LASER weapons are easily foiled with mirrors or very shiny skin on the aircraft. What could be simpler than that? I think "they" said that about SAM missiles, too. I think "they" said that about machine guns mounted on planes. Then "they" said that about the jet aircraft. Then "they" said that about air-to-air missiles on planes. Then "they" said that about shoulder-fired missiles in the hands of terrorists. Then "they" said that about .........good heavens, "they" have been saying such things since the invention of the club!! C'mon, guys, it's just one more of many, many things that man invents ...and another invents something to foil it. It's been going on since man stood upright on the African plains ....ain't no difference except things happen faster now, that's all. Ooh, but I'm really, really scared! ...LOL! Ahhh, the infamous "they". Baron Max
