Set phasers to frag

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/20/northrop_laser_rifl_contract/

I am just drooling thinking about it.

Now we dont have to worry about killing ourselves with toxic chemicals.

Wow, what are fibre lasers? :-?
Also:

5kg per kilowatt

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...that's pretty exciting, but then they said it doesn't include the power supply.

Edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_laser

Yea that sounds pretty awesome.I want one! How come I've never heard of fiber lasers before? : Are they really new? Are they used in any common devices?I wanna rip one appart

That's cool, but even if they did have a workable power supply, 3KW isn't really enough to do much at all - at least when it comes to warfare. Other than blind people (which is forbidden under the Geneva Convention - laser weapons made for the purpose of blinding people and nothing else are banned, but not lasers for other purposes that could possibly blind someone, such as lasers made to destroy unexploded ordnance), I don't think you could do much with 3KW as an offensive (or defensive) weapon.

Maybe to explode undetonated roadside bombs, but then again, you don't need a hand-held system for that.

What damage can 3kW do? Probably won't be near as effective at long range as a 15kg kinetic weapon.

I don't really see much use for laser rifles at all really.Systems like MTHEL and ATL rely on a computer to keep the laser steady on the missle, while a human will never be able to keep anything steady on something beyond a very short range.So unless it's some kind of shoulder mounted computer controlled predator cannon, I don't see it being very practical.At least not as an infantry weapon.Maybe as a sniper hiding in the forest, setting things on fire with an IR beam.

Nay Sayers! No I don't think there will be any way to replace a kinetic weapon but we can radically alter the battle field. Remember lasers are silent (in comparison to gun and if proper models are used maybe entirely) and if its in the correct wavelength it cant be seen, there is no forensic evidence of one being use either......  As far as power sources go I have a lead.... check on something called Carbon Nanoflowers. [smiley=evil.gif]

Pinged said:

Nay Sayers! No I don't think there will be any way to replace a kinetic weapon but we can radically alter the battle field. Remember lasers are silent (in comparison to  gun and if proper models are used maybe entirely) and if its in the correct wavelength it cant be seen, there is no forensic evidence of one being use either......  As far as power sources go I have a lead.... check on something called Carbon Nanoflowers. [smiley=evil.gif]

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I think lasers will be awesome battlefield weapons - it's just that I don't expect to see any hand-held types anytime soon that would pack enough power to be lethal to enemy personnel. Now vehicle and aircraft-mounted lasers, yeah, that's workable with today's technology. Those lasers already do have the power to fry terrorists! And yes, there'd be no noise, and nothing to see - except for the target bursting into flames.

Those carbon nanoflowers better be able to provide electricity in the order of kiloWatts.
I still don't think we're gonna see any laser assault rifles yet. :