UK to build 'laser weapon'

[djdulux]

I struggle to see how this could ever work, makes me think of the sketch off the big bang theory!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38510344

Dupe...

[NobleGas]

Actually, one of the European partners has already developed a concept version, there's a video of it being used to shoot down a DJI Phantom (I think) quadcopter (although that may not have been publicly released)

[planters]

I struggle to see how this could ever work, makes me think of the sketch off the big bang theory!

If you accept that this is a development platform, then this is pretty reasonable. Remember, it was only a few years ago that a diode laser with a few tens of mW was exciting and even being placed into laser projectors when red was a very difficult color to produce. Now, a 5-10W red module is common place.

Solid state, direct diode and driven fiber lasers can exceed 100kW in industrial applications...now. In less than 10 years, this power level will likely exceed 1MW continuous output. Above 1MW, the dwell time will need to be milliseconds long and if the acquisition and targeting is well proven, then the advantages of near zero "flight" time and the elimination of heavy and expensive ordinance is very attractive.

Also, as the military becomes evermore dependent on cameras for reconnaissance, the ability to blind the enemy almost instantly will become very useful.