The Army's Tactical High Energy Laser goes mobile
By Peter Rojas 
posted Aug 31st 2004 8:40AM
posted Aug 31st 2004 8:40AM
We were mighty impressed to hear that the Army is working on a mobile version of their Tactical High Energy Laser, which they're using to shoot down incoming rockets, mortar rounds, and artillery shells, but we were a little disappointed to learn that the THEL, along with the new mobile version (known as the MTHEL) constitute our nation's only laser weapons. Do we seriously need to get Phillip in there to set things straight?
what make a difference between weapons from philips or whatever else, we are all westernners anyway....
Well, as much as we like to think Philips could pull it off , this was actually a reference to Phillip Torrone, Engadget's resident crazed madman/laser expert.
There are actually other laser weapon platforms currently being developed. The Airborne Laser (ABL) YAL-1A is a megawatt chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) mounted inside a modified 747 aircraft. It's a biggie.
http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/abl/
Dr. Hathaway, are you wearing makeup?
The F-35 includes space in the nose (underneath the RADAR aparture) for a laser, to spoof enemy seeking/tracking systems (for the proposed E/F-35). Not powerful enough to detonate artillery, but still a credible DEW.
Theres also plans for DD(X), the next generation Navy destoyer set to replace the Arleigh Burkey class in the next ten years, to use a combination Electromagnetic main gun, for sending artillery inland at Mach 12, and an 80Mw chemical laser, for fleet air defense. To acomodate these power hungry systems, shell be the first destroyer to use nuclear propulsion. The Navys moving to a 100% unconventional force.
We live in an amazing time.