Truck-Borne
Laser Weapon On Way Soon
A
powerful laser weapon that can fit on a light
truck is set to be the military's answer to
the dilemma of overreacting to enemy attack
and harming friendly forces in the process.
The laser-beam
weapon, being developed by the U.S. Army and
Boeing, is seen to be a more focused
alternative to artillery or rocket response to
enemy action that usually results in innocent
civilians or friendly forces being caught up
in the onslaught. Death
and injury among third-party individuals near
or around a scene of battle is one of the
classic scenarios that carries with it acute
embarrassment -- or worse -- for both military
leaders and politicians. The new laser weapon
being developed aims to avoid, if not
completely eliminate, that eventuality.
The
High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator
system will consist of a laser weapon system
mounted on an Oshkosh Defense military truck.
Traveling at the speed of light the laser beam
will hit targets with unprecedented swiftness.
And no bullets will rain down on anyone in the
process, says Boeing's Marc Selinger in an
article on the innovation.