Re:US Navy ready to deploy laser for first time
by TeMPOraL on Tuesday February 18, 2014 @12:03PM
(#7259273)
Could it be possible to reflect the laser with a mirror? If so, maybe the navy could use UAVs with mirrors to guide the laser for over-the-horizon shots.
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Re:US Navy ready to deploy laser for first time
by jloughry on Tuesday February 18, 2014 @03:47PM
(#7260933)
When a high power (megawatts) laser hits a surface, even a mirrored surface, the effect is more like a hammer than a reflection. This was studied extensively during the SDI program. Chrome plating missiles is, in the long term, ineffective; the beam transfers energy kinetically like a bullet, not through heating effects.
That said, it might work for now against kilowatt lasers.
Edit: an interesting and non-theoretical example of catastrophic optical damage is the "fiber fuse" effect: a spot of light burns its way along the length of a strand at about 1m/sec (destroying it as it goes). See this video (the narration is in Japanese):
Re:US Navy ready to deploy laser for first time
by UnoriginalGuy on Tuesday February 18, 2014 @12:15PM
(#7259384)
That is such a crazy concept it just might work. The logistics of it are mind boggling, but other than mirror-heat I cannot see too many huge issues with it right off the bat (aside from logistics).
Re:US Navy ready to deploy laser for first time
by TeMPOraL on Wednesday February 19, 2014 @07:02AM
(#7263167)
> The logistics of it are mind boggling
Could you elaborate? I don't think it would be just as simple as putting a big mirror on a Predator drone, but then I can't see it being that much more complicated.