Boeing demonstrates a Hummer-mounted laser weapon

We first heard of Boeing's plan to mount a laser on a Humvee in July, but we weren't expecting results so soon -- yet here we are just a few months later and the company is already blowing stuff up with a truck-based "directed energy weapon." The one-kilowatt laser is retrofitted on Boeing's existing Humvee-mounted Avenger missile system, and tests have already demonstrated its effectiveness at taking out IEDs from a safe distance. More excitingly for the boom-boom crowd, the Laser Avenger has also managed to eliminate grounded UAVs, and Boeing says it's working on being able to target low-flying drones as well. That's all well and good, but we just want to know: how is it at making popcorn?

[mlody11 @ Oct 18th 2007 3:11PM]

Does the laser come with "Do not Shine into eyes" warning label?

Omg omg omg is "how is it at making popcorn?" then next "Can it play doom?"

[Shaocaholica @ Oct 18th 2007 3:20PM]

Do tanks come with "Do not aim at face" warnings on the turret?

[Luigi193 @ Oct 18th 2007 3:23PM]

Dang you!!!!!!!...you beat me too it!!!!

[Hello Moto @ Oct 19th 2007 8:38AM]

Lasers are very bad at making popcorn because they burn the shell off the side where you are lasing which makes it impossible to pop.

Trust me, I have tried... very hard. It doesn't work.

[Kris S. @ Oct 18th 2007 3:12PM]

Star Wars is gonna become reality! I want a laser blaster now!

[Flinkman @ Oct 18th 2007 4:00PM]

I would prefer one Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster.

[deedeedee @ Oct 18th 2007 4:18PM]

I think a bomb proof armored humvee will be more practical for the US army, I really don't know where they can deploy a laser, ballistic weapon seems sufficient for anything they encounter, unless they will be fighting Japan's giant Gundam in the 2050...

[b_a_boone @ Oct 18th 2007 5:45PM]

I'll wait for the BFG!

[Fraggle.Rock @ Oct 20th 2007 4:25PM]

Master Blaster!?

Sorry, wrong topic :-)

[Matt @ Oct 18th 2007 3:13PM]

Oh my God, set phasers to FUN!

[p.flynn2 @ Oct 18th 2007 3:15PM]

two months?

[timatl @ Oct 18th 2007 4:28PM]

sounds like they may have been using for years. i agree totally

[dataminer49er @ Oct 18th 2007 3:18PM]

Eliminate UAV's? Isn't that Dalnek talk? That cave in Montana is looking pretty fine these days...

[sascoo @ Oct 19th 2007 12:19AM]

i'm from montana. i'm heading to canada. it's even safer there

[Bloobie @ Oct 18th 2007 4:38PM]

What's a Dalnek?

[dataminer49er @ Oct 18th 2007 6:49PM]

Sorry about that I meant to say Daleks. What's that you ask? It is a Dr. Who enemy. It was always funny to hear them talk. Google "Dalek soundboard" and enjoy the goodness!

[oshean @ Oct 18th 2007 3:18PM]

I can't wait until they come out with a Delorean that has a 1.21 gigawatt laser.

[Jon Miller @ Oct 18th 2007 3:19PM]

Nice "Real Genius" reference and photo, love it

[Maverick @ Oct 19th 2007 1:38AM]

Everybody wants to rule the world.

[webon @ Oct 19th 2007 5:26AM]

that movie ruled man
and that said yes Im old too

[Zirbs @ Oct 18th 2007 3:19PM]

Ah, Real Genius. One of the better 80's movies I've seen.

[Nightwinggl @ Oct 18th 2007 4:05PM]

That's cause I showed it to you. "Would you be prepared if gravity reversed itself?"

[Mike_NYC @ Oct 18th 2007 4:16PM]

that movie is the main reason i became an EE... just to work with friggen lasers...

for the record, i don't... only did in college, but took work elsewhere with radars

[fred @ Oct 18th 2007 5:31PM]

Any day with a Real Genius reference is a good day. "I was hot AND I was hungry!"

[peestandingup @ Oct 18th 2007 3:20PM]

Cue the Tears For Fears music.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Oct 18th 2007 9:50PM]

Busting out the Jiffy Pop and Real Genius movie now...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Genius

[jbcaro @ Oct 18th 2007 3:20PM]

It's the giant Jiffy Pop house.

[Adam @ Oct 18th 2007 3:24PM]

Mitch: Hi Kent. Have you been touching yourself?
Kent: Yes. I mean, NO!

Mitch: And from now on, stop playing with yourself.
Kent: It is God...

[Darayz @ Oct 18th 2007 3:29PM]

Next-gen Lazer Tag here I come.

[Jonathon @ Oct 19th 2007 11:17AM]

Now with "Real Death" ©

[Jose Chavez @ Oct 18th 2007 3:31PM]

This is the sparten Laser!!!!!! HALO 3

[JeffnLA @ Oct 18th 2007 4:02PM]

Ya beat me to it Jose!

[FrankliD @ Oct 18th 2007 3:32PM]

What? A whole page of stories and only one iPhone story? You guys don't cover the iPhone's progression enough. Honestly, though, isn't there something better than the iCondom? Wow, Engadget, you're really slacking**.



**Disclaimer: This is meant to be a joke which pokes fun at those who whine that Engadget does too many iPhone stories***. I will wager that if another story about the iPhone (whether it is about the phone in Europe or America) a huge outcry will commence from all the hypocrites that Engadget is over-covering the gadget. I file a request for the whiners to stfu and skip over the stories if they don't want to read them. I, however, will continue to enjoy every piece of Engadget's stories, be them iPhone-oriented or otherwise.

***Disclaimer to the disclaimer: due to the lack of intelligence by some (read: most) people on the internet a disclaimer is, sadly, needed to point out sarcasm.

[Anthony @ Oct 18th 2007 3:34PM]

It still wasn't very funny...

[HineyWipe @ Oct 18th 2007 3:43PM]

Nope. Not funny. How dare you belittle those of us who know how to use sarcasm and not disclose it as such!

Meh.

PS. Does the laser burn CDs faster?

[John @ Oct 18th 2007 4:33PM]

If your sarcasm was of solid quality, you wouldn't need two disclaimers. Yes, despite those "lacking intelligence".*

*: Disclaimer - I am being totally serious.

[4cr JaXs @ Oct 18th 2007 5:14PM]

Well said. Very true.

[Dorf @ Oct 18th 2007 3:41PM]

Can't you attach these to the heads of sharks?

[Bob @ Oct 18th 2007 6:40PM]

Nope, but we have sea bass.

[Dorf @ Oct 18th 2007 3:42PM]

Can you attach this to the head of a shark?

[hemmy @ Oct 18th 2007 3:42PM]

Damn you Engadget! Now you make me nostalgic and I *must* watch Real Genius tonight :)

[Adam @ Oct 18th 2007 3:46PM]

What movie is that picture from? It's killin' me.

[Bloobie @ Oct 18th 2007 4:40PM]

Real Genius

[Don Corleone @ Oct 18th 2007 3:50PM]

does it work with an iPhone?

[murph @ Oct 18th 2007 3:51PM]

+1 for Real Genius pic.

[GTMac @ Oct 18th 2007 3:52PM]

Mitch: This is coherent light
Mitch's Dad: Oh, so it talks.

[mike @ Oct 18th 2007 3:56PM]

stop humping the frickin laser

[newgalactic @ Oct 18th 2007 3:57PM]

fdgsdfg

[newgalactic @ Oct 18th 2007 4:26PM]

Sorry about that. Either Yahoo or Engadget is acting funny and I tried to send another test comment to "push" my previous one through. ...an experiment that didn't work.

[DorianGray @ Oct 18th 2007 3:58PM]

But are they working on being able to target low-growling dogs as well? I know a jack russell in my neighborhood that they could use as a test target...

And yes, he deserves it.