Laser downs large rocket over N.M. desert

[Ediacara]

Laser downs large rocket over N.M. desert

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. -- A U.S.-Israeli laser designed to protect northern Israel from missile attacks downed its largest rocket to date during a test over the southern New Mexico desert, the Army said Friday.

The ground-based Tactical High Energy Laser, or THEL, locked on and destroyed the 11-foot-long, 6-inch-diameter rocket in flight over White Sands Missile Range on Tuesday, said Pam Rogers, a U.S. Army spokeswoman in Huntsville, Ala.

The stationary test version of THEL has shot down smaller Katyusha rockets and artillery shells in the past, she said.

More at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

[burrowowl]

1. Old news

they have done it a few times or so they say.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Ten bucks says the missile had a hot spot on it saying..

I'm right here...hit me here...I'll wait and see what independent scientists have to say about these tests after the other sham experiments with missile defense.

[central scrutinizer]

4. still, this would be an improvement

in many previous tests, they knew exactly when and on what trajectory a missile would be and they still couldn't hit it. Maybe they are finally at the T-ball level. Another few billion more dollars and they will be at the coach-pitch level.

[Journeyman]

12. Great. And when we get to major league levels. . .

we'll have to be content that 30% accuracy (.300 hitting average) is excellent, while 40% (.406 in 1941) is the best we'll ever see. (And remember, that mark was set bya Lefty!)

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. Did that missle cook off from the Kiev fire?

Now, that would have been impressive.

Otherwise.... Y A H N.

[keithyboy]

5. The two most dangerous nations on earth with world's most dangerous

weapons and weapontry.

[mn9driver]

6. This is likely a gas-dynamic laser

First cousin to a rocket engine--very hot technology, but targeting is going to be a continuing problem.

[Dover]

7. Their biggest threat are groups that don't have access to that kind of

hardware. They would likely use other, simpler means to attack their enemies. All this kind of thing does is feed the very overweight defense industry.

[gulfcoastliberal]

8. Tell me when the Lasers go through Clouds

All these tests are also during perfectly clear weather. Any fog or clouds render lasers completely useless. What a friggin waste of money.

[hatrack]

9. Does this system have the new boxcutter-tracking software package?

And if so, will it soon be available for deployment in the US? Gee, I sure hope so - I'll feel so much safer then!

[daleo]

10. Probably more deceit

And if true, the system can probably easily be overwhelmed by decoys or more Katusha rockets. Even if you learn how to stop a bullet with a bullet (or a laser) how do you stop a machine gun? With another machine gun?

But this will provide lots of money to the U.S. and Israeli military industrial complexes, and reinforce some of the worst aspects of both countries reputations internationally.

Oh, and before someone goes on about slander, I mean their reputations for spending massive amounts of money on high tech weaponry to the detriment of civilian needs, and their reputations for emphasizing the projection of force in the resolution of international disputes.

[moof]

11. was the missle's skin highly polished ...

to the point of being like a mirror ?

Or would that make any difference to reflecting a laser's light ?

[TexasMexican]

13. A Frickin Laser Beam...

Cool.