We'll have laser weapons in two years

[Erttheking]

http://news.yahoo.com/navys-laser-weapons-just-2-years-away-admiral-173636089--abc-news-topstories.html

So according to this, the U.S. Navy is developing energy weapons and they'll be ready in two years...not much else to say really. Oh, and because it's fitting.
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Thoughts?

 

[TephlonPrice]

Soon we'll have the Obelisk of Light from C&C on every military base.

Who knows, we might have the world's first tesla units!

 

[Fappy]

So fucking cool. I remember hearing about this ages ago, but didn't think it was so close. In a theoretical WWIII at least we know we won't be invaded by sea

 

[Fractral]

I was under the impression the army already had lasers. I mean, according to XKCD you can already by lasers capable of burning through people for a couple hundred dollars in america. Is it only now that they've become portable, and cheap enough?

 

[Kopikatsu]

I was under the impression the army already had lasers. I mean, according to XKCD you can already by lasers capable of burning through people for a couple hundred dollars in america. Is it only now that they've become portable, and cheap enough?

Yes, they've had such things for a while now, like the ZEUS-HLONS which is seeing active service in the middle east.

The article is just talking about outfitting Navy ships with laser defense systems though. Here's a demonstration:

 

[BloatedGuppy]

2 years? And still no carapace armor.

Mutons are going to eat us alive.

 

[antidonkey]

We already have laser weaponry. It's just not what want in laser weapons. I seem to recall the Air Force having lasers that mount onto cargo aircraft and is very handy for toasting the electronics on in coming missiles and perhaps low orbiting satellites.

 

[Bertylicious]

Laser weapons are stupid; the diffusion of the atmosphere just makes them impractical.

Science & history teaches us that no weapon in the world is more effective than a dude in a dirty t-shirt with nothing to lose.

 

[Acton Hank]

Kind of weird that this is my first thought, but once laser guns become available to the public, how are the police going to do ballistics checks in murder investigations?

 

[Acton Hank]

Laser weapons are stupid; the diffusion of the atmosphere just makes them impractical.

Science & history teaches us that no weapon in the world is more effective than a dude in a dirty t-shirt with nothing to lose.

I don't know, I think a dude in a dirty t-shirt with nothing to lose armed with a laser assault rifle is far more dangerous.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

***** please, I had laser weapons two days ago (Hooray for X-Com!).

But really, the laser weapons are cool and all, and I don't want to sound ungrateful, but can I just get a damn jetpack already?

 

[Evil Smurf]

***** please, I had laser weapons two days ago (Hooray for X-Com!).

But really, the laser weapons are cool and all, and I don't want to sound ungrateful, but can I just get a damn jetpack already?

***** please, I have had laser weapons for years! (hooray for TF2)

 

[immortalfrieza]

Now we just need a seemingly infinite amount of homicidal aliens attacking Earth for no apparent reason with super advanced tech that can drop even our best troops like flies, then we'll be set.

 

[Shinsei-J]

Bah, skip lasers and go straight for plasmas, in the meantime let's get some armor.
Also get those satellites up or we will lose Chinas funding.

 

[Jfswift]

Kind of weird that this is my first thought, but once laser guns become available to the public, how are the police going to do ballistics checks in murder investigations?

Good point, although I'm sure you could figure out what model it was by heat damage and size of hole. (narrow the search anyway)

 

[Ruedyn]

Mutons

In everywhere but Soviet Russia, you eat muton! I know it's missing a T but I'm feeling petty :\

 

[Darks63]

I thought we had lasers ready for weaponization years ago its just finding a portable power pack thats the issue.

 

[bat32391]

So, how long is it going to be before we start acting like its the 50's then go to war with China?

OT: Awesome I've wanted a laser rifle like forever.

 

[FrozenCones]

Now i'm no physicist but what happens if I have a boat made of crystal?