Nice 90s CGI on that demonstration shot.
The ABL exists, but it's still a multi-billion dollar boondoggle of a project that is not at all ready for prime time. Kind of like hot fusion reactors and the Bradley fighting vehicle.
As far as I know limitations mostly come from overheating and batteries; one needs giant batteries/a big source of electricity to feed those things, even for a little while, and on top of that there's a big heating effect, so you have a big ass gun that you can only fire sometimes essentially... The overheating effect alone is enough to render it almost unpractical but I heard chinese made breakthrough progresses when it comes to it, allegedly...
As far as I know limitations mostly come from overheating and batteries; one needs giant batteries/a big source of electricity to feed those things, even for a little while, and on top of that there's a big heating effect, so you have a big ass gun that you can only fire sometimes essentially...
No. These types of laser "weapons" are not electrical in their operation. They are chemical lasers where a chemical reaction produces light output which is used as the lasing medium and energy source. The chinks allegedly figured out a better way to replace the chemical reagents in the reaction chamber/optical cavity quickly enough to enable continuous reaction without the heat build up that makes the lasing process inefficient. There is a requirement for electrical energy in the system, but it is not directly used in the laser light production and instead for pumps and other equipment to control the laser. Even though the chink technology claims "indefinite" firing of the laser, it is still limited by the supply of chemical reagents they can carry on board the airborne platform. It's only a theoretical indefinite operating efficiency provided you have unlimited chemical reagents to supply the laser with, which isn't possible or practical.
Alright... Now I get why there was that gas story about the "chinese cooling". When I read it the first time I stopped think "Wtf wait.. They certainly aren't the first ones to have figured that gas can cool it..." so I skipped it, thinking that well, if that's what they say...
Alright... Now I get why there was that gas story about the "chinese cooling". When I read it the first time I stopped think "Wtf wait.. They certainly aren't the first ones to have figured that gas can cool it..." so I skipped it, thinking that well, if that's what they say...
Yeah they use chemical lasers because they have the highest light energy output for their size/weight. There has been a lot of work on newer technologies like diode pumped solid state stacked gain medium systems that use a bunch of laser diodes to pump a gain medium at right angles to output a big beam. Stacking multiple DPSS gain medium module can increase the power in a rather compact setup, but they are definitely power hungry systems. The National Ignition Facility has such laser systems for use as the energy delivery system in a hot fusion reactor using deuterium pellets as the fusion fuel. They are impressive lasers, but chemical lasers still beat them on power input to light output ratios.
Aren't they cooled enough by the -60ºC winds at an altitude of 30K ft?
I suppose all heating parts can't just be exposed to -60°C winds...
If what they want from those lasers isn't just to blind a target, biological or otherwise... But to destroy it with heat, like melting missiles instantly in a fraction of a second essentially, for interception typically... I let you imagine the power that is required... It's the super DIY aliexpress laser...
It's the super DIY aliexpress laser...
lol
In regard the the aliexpress comment, I remember seeing a laser enthusiast on youtube testing out a tattoo remover from ebay or wish.com which had insanely high output.. on par with commercial or industrial use. I believe this device emitted pulses of infrared light.
What a piece of bullshit propaganda.
Had to close after the first 10 seconds:
“The world’s largest titanium plate is installed…”
The Russians have literally made entire submarines out of titanium
So, Fuck. Off. Johnathan frakes.
That said, nuclear pumped lasers are WAY better than this archaic co2 laser platform.
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