Laser Defense

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THEL (Tactical High Energy Laser)
For years, chemical-powered lasers were seen as the only viable alternative for weapons-strength ray guns. The most promising of those systems, the Tactical High Energy Laser, successfully shot down dozens of rockets and mortars. (this video shows it in action.) But generating the THEL's megawatts of laser power required hundreds of gallons of toxic chemicals — ethylene, nitrogen trifluoride. The weapons grew bulky (the small-scale version was only supposed to be kept in a mere right cargo containers, each 40 feet long). Worse, after a few shots, the lasers would have to be resupplied with a fresh batch of reactants. The logistics of hauling those toxins either through the air or across a battlefield made generals shiver. So, ultimately, interest swung back to solid state systems, like Yamamoto's, and, to a lesser extent, free electron lasers.




Channel: Howto & Style
Uploaded: April 13, 2006 at 7:56 am
Author: lacksdiscipline

Length: 00:02:20
Rating: 4.48
Views: 191227

Tags: laser defense antimissile antimortar starwars defensetech THEL tactical high energy antirocket

Video Comments:
Nukefuzion (October 7, 2008 at 11:20 am)
danger of shrapnel?
saiyanson5500 (October 5, 2008 at 6:46 am)
Projects like these make me feel safer.
cheekymonkey69er (October 5, 2008 at 12:19 am)
Amazing!!
earthgk2222 (September 23, 2008 at 12:41 pm)
the russia has laser at ufoes,many bases at moon...
homad123 (October 4, 2008 at 3:35 am)
yep
FruityLoopsas (October 8, 2008 at 10:57 pm)
What??? :DDDD
orientninjai (September 18, 2008 at 2:53 pm)
man i wish have in my back yard i have russian livein here =,=
petrolhead85 (September 8, 2008 at 2:23 am)
who knos in 20 yrs we cud be taking down bullets
leithboy7 (September 4, 2008 at 1:40 am)
what a load of usa crap, yawn
jayers2 (September 7, 2008 at 6:38 am)
Well i can belive this a lot easier than what I see Russuan supporters talking about.