Senate Boosts Funding for Laser Weapons

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Washington Post

By Walter Pincus
Monday, September 22, 2008; A13

The Senate has embraced last year's Defense Science Board conclusion that directed-energy weapons -- such as high-, medium- and low-power lasers -- hold great potential and should be developed as soon as possible.

In the fiscal 2009 defense authorization bill, which was approved Wednesday, the Senate included additional funds for laser programs and a provision requiring Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to accelerate work that would make directed-energy weapons operational in the near future.

Low-power lasers known as "dazzlers" are being used in Iraq, mounted on M-4 rifles, "to warn or temporarily incapacitate individuals," according to the Defense Science Board's report. Army, Special Forces and more recently Marine units are using them to warn or deter drivers approaching checkpoints and to "defuse potential escalation of force incidents," according to the report.

Marines were given approval to use a green laser whose beam can temporarily reduce a person's vision when aimed from a distance of 1,000 yards, according to the report. These "laser optical incapacitation devices" were being procured on a case-by-case basis.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102432_pf.html

[BulletproofLandshark]

1. They'll only be field tested in Iraq.

These weapons are meant for the coming unrest at home.

[HopeHoops]

2. Agreed

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. What coming unrest?

:shrug:

[BulletproofLandshark]

5. No matter how complacent Americans may seem...

they won't put up with losing their homes and not being able to feed their kids indefinitely. A lot of people in the coming months and years are going to be looking for someone to blame.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. "...coming years..."

That's a pretty vague prediction.

[BulletproofLandshark]

7. We live in uncertain times, my friend.

What, you want an exact date or something?

[Maine-i-acs]

3. 100K AK-47s and our night vision goggles were stolen in Iraq -

How long before the lasers are?

And where are my sharks with the frickin' laser beams?!?!?!!1!!!1

[Thor_MN]

8. Will they be Shark-Mobile weapons?

Why the hell are we spending more money on arms? We are not in a freaking arms race.

[IndianaGreen]

9. And these weapons will be used against the American people

Thank you Congress for sucking the cock of the arms merchants.

[glinda]

10. yup