William Baird wrote:
LukeCampbell wrote in message

My prediction is that laser weapons will really take off when a
practical, high efficiency, high repetition rate short pulsed
(nanosecond or less) laser with a reasonable energy per pulse (say about
a joule) is available.


FWIW, the LLNL solid state laser is a pulsed one. The flash lamps are
supposed to be followed on with LEDs as well.

Ah, here we go:

"The project scientists are also investigating several diode
cooling and packaging techniques for optical pumping using
laser diodes. A 10-bar prototype monolithic diode array is
operational and delivers 300 W at 940 nm. When complete, the
HELSTF laser will deliver 100-kW-to-MW output power under burst
mode for the duration of several seconds."

Oh. My reading was that it could operate at full power (about 100 kW
CW) for several seconds, and then had to be shut off to cool. Since I'm
not actually working on the beasty, though, I can't say if my reading is
correct or not.

We still have a way to go to get lasers of this performance, however (or
if we don't, no one is talking about it). At the rate at which laser
technology is advancing, though, it will probably not be too long before
the military has these toys to play with.


The technologies are sufficiently advanced enough that the
Blue Beanies, ahem, USAF are talking about putting a SS-HEL
in the back of Lockheed's Air Force JSF version.

My bet is that within ten years we'll see each branch of the
military with one sort of laser or another as an offensive weapon.

Sounds about right. I would have guessed 10 to 20, myself, but I am
usually a bit conservative.

Luke