[FUBAR-BDHR]

they've had a 747-mounted one for a while now haven't they?

Last I heard they had a prototype but it didn't fit in the plane yet.  Of course would they say that that had them even if they had a 24 cap around North Korea, and Iran?  What would be the advantage it the enemy knowing their missiles were useless and their payload dropped right back on the launch site?  They would just work on some other tech then instead of putting all their effort into long range nukes.

[Nuke]

ok so they point it at something different, but still pretty much the same technology.

Actually I imagine this is a different sort of laser, though I could be wrong. The ABL was a big chemical laser; I can't see how anything this small could be a chemical laser. It's probably some kind of solid state thing? Anyone have info?

i think the newer lasers are solid state arrays. of course its probably a lame guess with no basis in reality.

[Nuclear1]

they've had a 747-mounted one for a while now haven't they?

Last I heard they had a prototype but it didn't fit in the plane yet.

The prototype worked--it shot down two or three test missiles out at Vandenberg.  Air Force Chief of Staff simply ordered development stopped, saying something like "unfeasible".

[Flipside]

they've had a 747-mounted one for a while now haven't they?

Last I heard they had a prototype but it didn't fit in the plane yet.

The prototype worked--it shot down two or three test missiles out at Vandenberg.  Air Force Chief of Staff simply ordered development stopped, saying something like "unfeasible".

Why do I get the feeling that's a rough translation of 'It reduces the number of pilots needed, and that will affect our budget'?

[Nuclear1]

they've had a 747-mounted one for a while now haven't they?

Last I heard they had a prototype but it didn't fit in the plane yet.

The prototype worked--it shot down two or three test missiles out at Vandenberg.  Air Force Chief of Staff simply ordered development stopped, saying something like "unfeasible".

Why do I get the feeling that's a rough translation of 'It reduces the number of pilots needed, and that will affect our budget'?

Yeah, that's usually how it goes. 

Besides, we need pilots to fly the F-35 so we can fight the Al Qaeda Air Force.

[Dilmah G]

F-35, argh. Did I mention waste of time and money sucker?

[FUBAR-BDHR]

You know it's always possible they have it down to fighter size already.  Either that or the 747 version was just a test bed and there are now several satellites in geosynchronous obit over problem areas armed with this weapon.

[Scourge of Ages]

heh, http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=1694

[Wobble73]

So....how long till I can sharks with frickin laser beams on there heads?