posted on Feb, 24 2003 @ 09:36 PM
Pulled up this brief article summarising research being done for high power lasers to destroy missiles.
Picture of laser
CNN Qoute
"Tactical High-Energy Laser
One of the biggest duds of the Gulf War was the Patriot antimissile system, which failed to destroy many of the Scuds that Saddam Hussein lobbed at
Israel and at U.S. troops. The Pentagon has since teamed up with Israel to try a different approach to disabling missiles: Frying them. The tactical
high-energy laser (THEL) locks onto missiles with a swiveling laser projector that looks like a giant spotlight; the heat-generating laser beam causes
incoming missiles to self-destruct. In tests, the THEL has brought down more than 25 missiles and even halted an artillery shell. Subcontractor Ball
Aerospace & Technologies, a $491 million division of container manufacturer and former canning-jar maker Ball Corp., built the system that keeps the
laser locked on targets closing in at 1,000 mph. -- D.H.F.
TOTAL COST: $250 million per installation
COMPANY TO WATCH: Ball Aerospace & Technologies (BLL)
WHAT IT MAKES:Target acquisition system"
I apologize if this old news for some of you