The Navy's new laser can do more than just shoot down drones
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We've all seen how good the Navy's experimental laser is at shooting down drones, but it turns out that the hardware's got more than one party trick. A report by the Wall Street Journal has revealed that military types are also praising the surveillance capabilities of the gear, describing it as a "Hubble telescope on the water." The device is also earning praise from the Navy's accountants, since while each surface-to-air missile costs around $400,000, each shot from the laser is a paltry 59 cents. As a result of these trials, the Navy will now deploy the USS Ponce in the Middle East for the next year with orders to test the weapon's self-defense capabilities.
[Image credit: John F. Williams/US Navy, Flickr]