As for DEW (direct energy weapon)
I wonder why military seeks for megawatt laser while kilowatts laser is used to cut through steel plate 1 inch thick with ease in industry. Unless target is a tank, normal skin of most target is much thinner than that. 5000 watts = 5 kW, too small for mobile generator, don’t know why they need big megawatt laser?
Another problem I always wonder is what if target is coated with reflective material, since laser is light, its energy will be reflected and will be useless. Maybe if power is enough, it will penetrate through mirror?
I think the most useful meaning of laser is for anti ICBM launches.
Here are my opinions, mouting laser on big aircraft will limit its altitude and air at low altitude is densier for absorbing laser. Second, because the curved surface of the Earth, based on some quick calculations, at altitude 20km, direct line of sight can reach target at the horizon at 500, and at altitude 100km, line of sight weapon can reach target on the surface 1100km away. Even 1100km is too short for early phase ICBM, and at altitude 1000km, the range is only 3700km.
Another problem is aiming the laser at 1 metre moving target at 10.000km, is like shooting at a flying bee at 100 km, don’t know whether it can be done or not.
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