Alan Erskine added these comments in the current discussion du
jour ...

I just received this, and NO source was cited, so I can't
verify it at all, but it is interesting -- SW
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The industry Airborne Laser (ABL) team has installed all six
Chemical
Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) modules aboard the prototype
aircraft providing its full megawatt-class power laser beam.

There's a big difference between "operational" and
"prototype". Operations are five or more years away, if ever.

True, true, true. But, at one time, people said your blood would
boil if you went 60 mph in a car. And, prior to Chuck Yeager in
1947, people believed that the speed of sound was a barrier that
couldn't be crossed. Someday, the speed of light will be exceeded,
it just can't be as simple as Einstein made it out to be. So, maybe
5, maybe 20 years but I would certainly believe that ABL or
something like it could be an operational weapon. Unless you
believe in UFOs ...

--
HP, aka Jerry

"Surely you can't be serious! And don't call me Shirley!" - from
the movie "Airplane!"