Weaponised Laser Cannon Can Shoot Drones (And Mortars) Out Of Mid-Air

[Purveyor]

A German defense firm has built a laser cannon capable of blasting drones out of the sky.

The high-energy laser can shoot fast-moving drones at distances of more than a mile.

Rheinmetall Defence demonstrated the 50kW weapon and its radar and optical systems, which allowed it to track two drones travelling at 50 metres per second, and destroy them.

It was able to track the drones up to 3km away, according to the website Singularity Hub.

The laser is also able to cut through steel girders more than a mile away.

The system cut through a 15mm steel slab, and also shot a 82mm steel ball out of the air while travelling at 50 metres per second, which was designed to resemble a mortar round.

MORE...

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/01/08/weaponised-laser-cannon-rheinmetall-defence_n_2432382.html

[Orrex]

1. I used to bullseye wamp rats in Beggar's Canyon back home.

[Eleanors38]

2. Range seems limited. Weapon is still subject to weak point of any AA fire:

Radar signature.

[theKed]

3. How long before

this hits the local gun shops? It's our RIGHT!

[Flashmann]

4. hits the local gun shops?

Oh hell yes......This is a must have for hunters and sportsmen......This will be a blast,down at the river,plinking beer cans.....

[Recursion]

8. Lasers as ground weapons keep running into the same problem

You have to have a beam on someone for a long enough time for the energy to transfer; it's not automatic like with a bullet.

In most cases it's easier to just electrocute someone with the massive power supply you would need to power it.

That said, you can already buy lasers more than powerful enough to kill somebody, they're just pricey and send your electric bill through the roof.

[Flashmann]

9. Lasers as ground weapons keep running into the same problem

I almost used the sarcasm emoticon.....Decided it wouldn't be necessary....

[Recursion]

10. Sorry, Electrical Engineering humor can be dry

I got that you were joking. But I was also pointing out that powerful enough lasers to kill people are already available without restrictions.

[Flashmann]

11. Ahhhhh ok......

My Dad was an Electrical Engineer......I not only never got his humor,I was never sure he even HAD a sense of humor.......

[Recursion]

5. You can buy a tactical laser already

It's about $300

http://www.wickedlasers.com/arctic

Flamethrowers are perfectly legal too.

[theKed]

6. Yeah...but, shit

We gots to have the weppins to shoot down them drones the muslim commie bastard's sending out to round us up into UN concentration camps...!

[Recursion]

7. Given that Blackwater or whatever they call themselves now has drones

I'd at least like to have the technology available to shoot them down, you know?

I expect your power bill would be through the roof for one of these, though.

[MineralMan]

14. It's great if you want to pop balloons, but not much use otherwise.

It's not a tactical laser in any military sense. It's just a 1 watt laser. The system in the OP is a 50 KW laser. You can't afford one of those, I guarantee.

[snooper2]

12. That's nothing, Americans can pull that off with a potato

[1-Old-Man]

13. High-speed drones? WTF?

As I do the quick math the "quick moving" drones are going about 35 MPH and one mile of range could barely hit one.