National Security & Defense

usonian

(18,492 posts) Thu Jun 12, 2025, 06:57 PM Jun 12

The Laser Revolution Part I: Megawatt beams to the skies

https://toughsf.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-laser-revolution-part-i-megawatt.html

There’s a laser revolution coming: a time when megawatt-scale beams will radically transform how we produce electricity, conduct war and even upset the nuclear world order. All they have to do it reach a certain convergence of price and power.

Part 2.
The Laser Revolution Part II: Ground, Sea and Grid

https://toughsf.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-laser-revolution-part-ii-ground-sea.html?m=1

The revolution continues! Warfare on the ground and sea will be heavily affected by megawatt-class lasers in the next two decades or so.

And, as we'll see, there are transformative applications in industry, energy generation, transportation and remote sensing.

4 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

The Laser Revolution Part I: Megawatt beams to the skies (Original Post) usonian Jun 12 OP

And the russians say "All your technology belongs to us!" erronis Jun 12 #1

Wanna bet they get good (cyber) money for those top secret plans? usonian Jun 12 #2

that's a helluva document by Matter Beam you posted. Just now finishing it. erronis Saturday #3

I was there for "Star Wars" SDI usonian Saturday #4

erronis

(20,238 posts)

1. And the russians say "All your technology belongs to us!"

Reply to usonian (Original post)

Thu Jun 12, 2025, 08:27 PM

Jun 12

Are we trusting our research to people like trump and hegsbreath?

usonian

(18,492 posts)

2. Wanna bet they get good (cyber) money for those top secret plans?

Reply to erronis (Reply #1)

Thu Jun 12, 2025, 08:31 PM

Jun 12

Back in the "Star Wars" days, we busted ass to keep documents secure.

Now, where do they go? Christie's?

erronis

(20,238 posts)

3. that's a helluva document by Matter Beam you posted. Just now finishing it.

Reply to usonian (Original post)

Sat Jun 14, 2025, 11:10 AM

Saturday

Good comments also. I wouldn't have realized so much research and development was going on in this area.

usonian

(18,492 posts)

4. I was there for "Star Wars" SDI

Reply to erronis (Reply #3)

Sat Jun 14, 2025, 12:15 PM

Saturday

but GHWB cut the defense budget, IIRC, and I moved on to university staff. Quite the change of scenery. Never returned to defense.

So primitive in those days.

Reply to this discussion