Wino Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Laser beams shooting down missles? Just like star wars! By Jim Wolf WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A high-powered laser aboard a modified Boeing Co 747 jumbo jet shot down an in-flight ballistic missile for the first time, highlighting a new class of ray guns best known from science fiction.The flying laser's long-awaited test on Thursday showcased a potential to zap multiple targets at the speed of light and at a range of hundreds of kilometers, the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency said in a statement. "The Missile Defense Agency demonstrated the potential use of directed energy to defend against ballistic missiles when the Airborne Laser Testbed (ALTB) successfully destroyed a boosting ballistic missile," the agency said. "The revolutionary use of directed energy is very attractive for missile defense," the statement added. Flying laser zaps missile in first for U.S. - Yahoo! News-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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