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Old April 14th 17, 03:13 PM posted to rec.arts.sf.science,sci.space.policy,rec.aviation.military,sci.military.naval,sci.physics
Robert Clark[_5_]
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Posts: 245
Default Reusable Laser Launcher

The Navy has already tested ship-borne lasers at 30 kW power to shoot down
drones:

US Navy Laser Blasts Drone Out Of The Sky.
Published on Dec 11, 2014
"A laser weapon tested for four months by the US Navy can blast drones out
of the sky in seconds."
https://youtu.be/2InzyGE9K6U?t=77

The more powerful 150 kW laser is expected to be able to shoot down larger
aircraft:

US Navy will fire 150 kilowatt laser on a test ship in 2018 and then from
carriers and destroyers in 2019.
brian wang | January 26, 2017 |
http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/01...-laser-on.html

BTW, about the cost, one of the producers of the 10 kW commercial lasers,
not part of weapons system, gave a price of $472,000. So a thousand would
be $472 million for a total power of 10 MW. Actually for such a large order
the price would likely be significantly discounted from this. Also, it may
be buying a fewer number of say, 30 kW, or 100 kW lasers may result in a
lower total cost.

According to the standard estimate this could launch 10 kg to orbit. Mook in
his posts to this thread estimates it could be three times more, ca. 30 kg.
This could still be useful for getting propellant to orbit when launched at
high frequency.

Bob Clark

================================================== ==============
"Serg io" wrote in message news
On 4/13/2017 12:48 PM, Robert Clark wrote:
I think you are right. I believe the handheld part is just used to
conduct the laser beam to the target. The actual laser is generated in a
separate cabinet:

Bob Clark


I doubt that the laser is at 30kw considering the power of the
similar-level lasers tested by the DoD(blowing up whole drones) and the
fact that the guy is using it at point-blank range compared to the
couple hundred meters ranged in all those test footage from the DoD.


The key problem is the path in air gets heated unevenly by high power
laser and disperses the beam.

you cannot put much power on a target miles away. they still do not
have lasers that shoot down airplanes and missles.

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