The UK's MOD said it test-fired a laser weapon that can track multiple targets and costs just $0.12 a shot, as nations look at ways to combat drones.
  • The UK said it test-fired a laser beam weapon in a “groundbreaking” trial.
  • The Ministry of Defence said it could neutralize targets for just $0.12 a shot.
  • Countries are racing to develop weapons that can combat drones and missiles.
  • peopleproblems@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8·
    3 months ago

    And laser rounds have a velocity of the speed of light, so it’s pretty hard to miss if you have a perfect sight on the target

    • evasive_chimpanzee@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      3 months ago

      I was thinking about potential for inaccuracy due to refraction from thermal inversion layers or other temperature anomalies, but then I realized that the refraction would equally affect the optics, provided that the optics remain on target throughout the firing.

      • peopleproblems@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4·
        3 months ago

        If I was designing a laser weapons system, I would probably include a targeting laser that would be of the same wavelength, and use that to automatically correct any alignment. A targeting laser, or series of lasers would require extremely tiny amounts of power compared to firing the laser weapon.