Airborne lasers

http://phys.org/news/2014-09-lockheed-martin-flight-aircraft-laser.html

While it always seems like lasers are ten years away from being a viable weapon (for the past 25 years), DARPA is pointing the way.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/09/05/the-army-is-getting-a-new-laser-cannon-and-it-can-shoot-drones-out-of-the-sky

Boeing has a ground based laser system for drone defense.

So offensive lasers ten to fifteen years away? Or are we looking at one of those intractable engineering problems where the technology is not mature enough, and lasers will the next great black hole for defense funds?