Lasers vs Particle weapons

I was wondering if anyone could explain the pros and cons of each. I also wanted to know what you guys think will become more successful. What I do know is that lasers are consentrated photons and particle beams are beams of active or neutral particles.

electromagnetic weapons would be pretty cool..... gamma ray guns.. microwave weapons

sure id like a plasma gun...too

[Edited on 30-8-2003 by The Blade Runner]

Lasers seem to be most promssing for use on large weapons platforms, ie tanks planes and satilites. Plasma weapons are still more of a theory than actual practice but they could make effective short range small arms. I still believe that todays weapons are more efective than these two new technologies. Laser/Plasma may someday become the norm, but do too the massive weight of a chemical laser, and extream short range of any concieved portalbe plasma weapons we wont be seeing these in wide use in some time my guess Lasers 5-15 years, (early versions mounted on planes and satelites) Plasma 20-30 years.

We already have an active and issued Laser "gun" that can be mounted to humvees. It looks like a spotlight and can melt the metal firing mechanisms in guns and grenades without blowing them up.

Ive never heard of that, got a link by chance?

The main diffrence is that partical weapons have a solid projectal of matter, Lasers on the other hand are pure energy weapons (beams of light). Partical weapons need a power source and a partical source. Laser only need a power source. This means a laser weapon of the same power could (In Theroy) be smaller than a Partical weapon. However, the science hasn't caught up with the theory yet, as far as I know. I do know that there is a laser weapon mounted on a modified Boeing 747. So we do have working laser weapons, but if your looking for the "Ray Guns" from the movie star wars, come back in a few years.

Tim

I do know that there is a laser weapon mounted on a modified Boeing 747. So we do have working laser weapons

Yeah, Lockheed Martin is working on the project. From what I hear, it is only a defense platform, primarily designed for shooting down cruise missles.

Also, magnetically accelerated type weaponry is being developed( and already in use) for heavy long range weaponry.

I personally do not know much about either, but I will say that even though the military is saying that both will be in use by 2025, this is not likely. Look at what they were sayin in the 80's, they were thinking that we would be using flying cars and have a cure for evety possible disease ever known to man. Well, we are nowhere near having either of those. We have hover planes and people have built there own flying cars, but the planes are for the military and the personal flying cars aren't near ready to be mass produced. I have no doubt that we will someday have these kinds of weapons, that will not require much phyical matter at all. I have nothing against the military and one day hope tojoin the military myself, but some of these oals theyse do not make sense, even with todays technology.

I think that there is a difference in focus with cars and weapons. YOu must realize that the gov needs weapons that are high tech so therefore they put focus(money) into the program.

Lasers and particle beam weapons:

Lasers have a problem with diffraction in atmosphere, so the solution is to pulse the beam so that it's self-focussing, approx 230 Hz. Don't quote me on that, though. The Air Force is interested in developing a laser cannon for the F-35, with a 1MW power requirement. It'll go in the lift fan and gearbox space for the USMC version of the F-35. The actual power of the laser is 100 kW, and it'll be used to blow up soft targets such as fuel tanks and (IMO) missiles. There have been issues raised over the blinding effect that scattered laser light will cause.

Particle beam weapons can be divided into neutral particle beam weapons and charged particle beam weapons, NBWs and CPBWs. The main problem with CPBWs is that they can be deflected by a magnetic or electrical field. NBWs are affected by atmosphere, haze, etc. and so are not useful in an atmosphere. Also, they're bulky (but aren't they all?) There's reportedly a synchrotron cannon being deployed or tested at Area 51. Basically, it shoots a very thin, straight line of electrons at a target. There's problems with atmospheric ionization deflecting the beam, though. It has a kind of "staircase" effect.
Also, there's the X-22A discoid fighter that uses an NBW.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

It would not surprise me one whit if these puppies were in fact real.

greetings all.

check this out:
216.239.57.104...:g4gHQ43dzUAJ:www.fas.org/irp/threat/mctl98-2/p2mlocator.pdf+dod+directed+and+kinetic+energy+systems+technology&hl =en&ie=UTF-8

i have the 2002 report pdf which funnily enough i cant seem to find on the net any more lol
here are some extracts for those who want to know what the US gov is REALLY up to:

SECTION 4�DIRECTED AND KINETIC ENERGY SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY
4.1 Lasers, High Energy Chemical........................................ 4-3
4.2 Supporting Technologies for Directed
Energy Weapons .............................................................. 4-5
OVERVIEW
This section addresses Directed Energy (DE) and Kinetic Energy (KE) systems whose advanced technologies
may change the way military missions are organized and executed in the future. DE systems include: High Energy
Lasers (HEL), Charged Particle Beams (CPB), Neutral Particle Beams (NPB), High Power Microwaves (HPM) and
supporting technologies required for DE weapon application. HEL systems of interest are based on the use of six
different types of lasers: gas dynamic, pulsed high energy electrical molecular and atomic, excimer, chemical,
optically pumped gas and solid state and free electron. Improvements in DE systems are anticipated from the
development of new approaches to energy transfer, efficient mixing of chemical reactants, scaling of present system
to higher power design of waveforms and more efficient propagation of beams through the atmosphere.
Improvements in HPM are expected from more efficient and compact microwave sources, and design of antennas
that can operate the voltage breakdown limit. KE systems include Electromagnetic Launch (EML) systems such as
Railguns and Coilguns, Electrothermal Chemical (ETC) guns, and Electrothermal (ET) guns. Compact pulsed power
sources are a common requirement for weaponization of EML, ETC, and ET guns. Additional improvements in
EML systems are to be found in the development of wear resistant materials and supporting structures,
improvements in ETC guns and non-sensitive propellants, and more efficient plasma ignition of propellants.
Enhancements in ET guns will require more efficient plasma generators. NPBs and CPBs deliver energy at a
significant fraction of the speed of light. The energy from NPBs and CPBs is deposited beneath the surface of the
target adding another dimension to the kill mechanism/countermeasure considerations. Expected results include
warhead detonation and structural breakup at higher fluences and electronic upset at lower fluences. HPM travel at
the speed of light and may damage electronic systems by exposing their components to unwanted and unanticipated
large electric fields. These fields can cause temporary system malfunction or may result in permanent damage to
equipment. Of the 12 technology areas in this section on DE and KE systems, only three�viz., Chemical Lasers,
Electrothermal Chemical Gun, and Supporting Technologies for DE Weapons�include militarily critical
technologies. A substantial amount of research and development (R&D) work has gone into the other technologies.
These other systems are included in Developing Critical Technologies.
4-3
SECTION 4.1�LASERS, HIGH ENERGY CHEMICAL
OVERVIEW
This section covers technologies applicable to high energy lasers which operate in the infrared (IR) and visible
regions of the electromagnetic spectrums (0.3�30 �m) and are capable of achieving militarily significant levels of
energy or power. Of particular interest to the military are the chemical HF/DF and oxygen iodine (COIL) lasers. To
be militarily useful a HEL system has to negate a target of interest. An enhanced system would determine the
effectiveness of the action, move to another target and repeat the procedure. To do this effectively the system has to
be able to track one or more targets, produce a laser beam, point it at the selected target and provide enough energy
on target to complete the mission. This technology is covered in the section dealing with DE weapons-supporting
technologies. Development of a successful HEL system presupposes knowledge of the beam-target interaction
physics and information about viable countermeasures. In this section we deal with the Beam Generation and
Control System which is composed of the fuel supply system, the energy generator, the gain generator, the pressure
recovery system, the optical system, aerodynamic and material windows, diagnostic instrumentation, power
supply/power conditioning, and thermal management system. The DE weapons-supporting technologies section
deals with target acquisition trackings, kill assessment system, and equipment with rapid beam slew capability.
Effective design and testing of the weapon system requires knowledge of laser target interaction, possible
countermeasures, beam propagation and inspection, and production test equipment. This is covered in another
section under weapons effects and countermeasures.

sorry for the big cnt n paste but there is LOADS more they go on and on about gama weapons, lazers,"death rays" etc...you wouldnt BELIVE the # about quantum computers hah it makes me sick at the millitary get the funding for this tech and HORDING it for use for KILLING people.

for those of u with ftp i would gladly send thoses reports out to you... the more people have it the safer ID feel
=p

Yeah, I'd love to get my hands on those!! I'm looking for literature on HEWs.

Here's a link to an article concerning a mobile defense laser being developed for the Army.

www.spacedaily.com...

It's interesting to note that both the French and Germans were testing these weapons in the early 80s and that a successful, similar prototype of the MTHEL was shooting things down nearly three decades ago, in 1975...

As for the Russians' pneumatic legs, I can't find anything on them on the net.

The TIS-1 (Tactical Infantry System-1) is a gasdynamic laser weapon system conceived by Stavatti Corporation-Armament Systems Division in July 1999 in direct response to the Statement of Objectives corresponding to the LFLAN (Light Fighter Lethality After Next). The TIS-1 is a revolutionary tactical weapon system for the individual combatant that will deliver a first round probability of hit using directed laser light as the lethal mechanism in selectable bursts from 1 to 170 shots per minute in excess of 90% at a range of 500 meters and 60% at 1,500 meters.

www.stavatti.com...

ValueJudgement if it wouldn't be too much trouble for you could you send me what they have on quantum computers? Im sorta interested in them.

Particle beams are great in space, but not useful in an atmosphere. Since the charged (or neutral) particles interact with matter, they tend to strike air molecules before hitting their target, and thus end up pumping all their energy into the atmosphere.

Lasers have their own issues with attenuation in the atmosphere, but that is largely dependent on the frequency of the beam. This is why X-Ray lasers (or more technically correct, masers) are considered the holy grail of laser science...they tend to go right through large amounts of atmosphere (or other matter).

ive never ever wnated are old guns to be replaced...EVER i think that thses new fabgled weapons arent very cool there effective sure...but id prefer a 30 odd 6 over a "laser" anyday

i thought u meant like particle disrubters...wow i feel real dumb right know lol