since the navy is arming frickin ships with frickin lasers now...

[brainhulk]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20052949-1.html

can they be reflected back to the ship with huge mirrors?

 

[Ben90]

Yes, in much the same way that you can stop a bullet with a bullet proof jacket. Hopefully the Chinese didn't read this post. If they strap bullet proof jackets all over their boats they will be invincible.

 

[Newbian]

Now all we need is some pet sharks to take out submarines.

 

[Pocatello]

Hopefully the new laser system can shoot down supersonic anti-ship missiles.

 

[oynaz]

Hopefully the new laser system can shoot down supersonic anti-ship missiles.

That's their only use, and only if the missiles aren't polished.

I can't really see the use of lasers as a naval weapon. Enemies with cannons can simply fire from beyond the horizon. Planes can hide behind clouds. The only thing lasers can accomplish are sinking small boats - but not at a distance if the waves are high.

 

[z1ggy]

That's their only use, and only if the missiles aren't polished.

I can't really see the use of lasers as a naval weapon. Enemies with cannons can simply fire from beyond the horizon. Planes can hide behind clouds. The only thing lasers can accomplish are sinking small boats - but not at a distance if the waves are high.

What about if the laser is being used in conjunction with a radar system/satellite system. Then the clouds wouldn't really be an issue. If a weapon is fired beyond the horizon... wait until it crosses it, then shoot it down. Then we launch 154 tomahawks at them from a SSGN. Game over.

 

[ViRGE]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20052949-1.html

can they be reflected back to the ship with huge mirrors?

No, it cannot be reflected. Mirrors aren't reflective enough to fully reflect a high intensity laser beam; it will quickly absorb enough energy to burn through the mirror and render the mirror useless.

 

[Brainonska511]

No, it cannot be reflected. Mirrors aren't reflective enough to fully reflect a high intensity laser beam; it will quickly absorb enough energy to burn through the mirror and render the mirror useless.

Even if the mirror did reflect, it a) won't necessarily reflect back to the firing ship and b) they are still not 100% reflective, so a high powered laser could easily still send enough energy through the mirror to destroy its target.

 

[jorken]

Chris Knight will handle this

 

[JTsyo]

A small boat on fire after getting pew-pew'd.

really?
Seems it might be more of a Coast Guard weapon. Maybe anti-pirate action.

 

[BigDH01]

really?
Seems it might be more of a Coast Guard weapon. Maybe anti-pirate action.

This. The video clearly shows its intended purpose, disabling small craft with outboard engines or vulnerable fuel supplies. Hopefully it can burn through the propellant or explosives of an incoming missile as well.

 

[IronWing]

 

[DesiPower]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20052949-1.html

can they be reflected back to the ship with huge mirrors?

tin foil should work, oh wait that's for microwave...

 

[DesiPower]

Yes, in much the same way that you can stop a bullet with a bullet proof jacket. Hopefully the Chinese didn't read this post. If they strap bullet proof jackets all over their boats they will be invincible.

now I have coffee sprayed all over my monitor and keyboard...

 

[brainhulk]

Even if the mirror did reflect, it a) won't necessarily reflect back to the firing ship and b) they are still not 100% reflective, so a high powered laser could easily still send enough energy through the mirror to destroy its target.

ok, say its 98% reflective. the mirror would get 2% and the ship get's 98% reflected back!

 

[z1ggy]

How would that even work? The boat is covered in a big square mirror that can adjust the angle of said mirrors so the beam reflects back exactly the way it came? Oh not to mention it would need to detect the incoming beam then adjust the mirror(s) at the speed of light.

 

[brainhulk]

How would that even work? The boat is covered in a big square mirror that can adjust the angle of said mirrors so the beam reflects back exactly the way it came? Oh not to mention it would need to detect the incoming beam then adjust the mirror(s) at the speed of light.

Probably not a square, more likey a large parabolic mirror to preemt unnecessary adjustments

 

[z1ggy]

And the pirates are getting this where? And the missiles are putting this where?

 

[Brainonska511]

ok, say its 98% reflective. the mirror would get 2% and the ship get's 98% reflected back!

And how would it be reflected back? Is the mirror's plane going to be normal to the incident laser? Mirrors that are highly reflective are very expensive. Even at your 98% (which is probably less reflective than what you'd find inside of the actual laser), you'd still transmit 2% - a 150kW (taken from Wikipedia's article on some laser defense system) would still transmit 3kW to a very narrow area. That's still a lot of energy for such a small surface area that the laser would be hitting.

And what do you do if the laser system changes to a wavelength that the mirror isn't reflective to? Then all the energy would go right through.

 

[oynaz]

What about if the laser is being used in conjunction with a radar system/satellite system. Then the clouds wouldn't really be an issue. If a weapon is fired beyond the horizon... wait until it crosses it, then shoot it down. Then we launch 154 tomahawks at them from a SSGN. Game over.

The problem with the cloud cover is that clouds do a very good job of stopping lasers.

Are you suggesting shooting down an artillery shell? Good luck with that.

Using lasers against missiles make a bit of sense. However, during SDI it was found that polishing the surface of the target reduced the efficiency of lasers tremendously. Up to 85% reduction IIRC.

Hey, discussing frickin' lasers is fun! (and delightfully geeky).

 

[Regs]

Rail gun is now out dated?

 

[Wyndru]

 

[z1ggy]

The problem with the cloud cover is that clouds do a very good job of stopping lasers.

Are you suggesting shooting down an artillery shell? Good luck with that.

Using lasers against missiles make a bit of sense. However, during SDI it was found that polishing the surface of the target reduced the efficiency of lasers tremendously. Up to 85% reduction IIRC.

Hey, discussing frickin' lasers is fun! (and delightfully geeky).

Cloud cover.. yes this is true. I haven't done much research in this area really...but I would assume then once the target comes out of the clouds toward the boat..it would still have time to shoot down the projectile. And what would they polish it with? I mean if it is then highly reflective, is it then not going to be picked up by every radar system in the area? Who knows, they could even equip planes with these, too. Even submarines I am sure could apply these as well.

 

[z1ggy]

Rail gun is now out dated?

Not sure, but it takes a hell of a lot of energy to fire one off. Also the whole system looked kind of huge and clunky to me. Not to mention loud as balls.

 

[Uhtrinity]

How would that even work? The boat is covered in a big square mirror that can adjust the angle of said mirrors so the beam reflects back exactly the way it came? Oh not to mention it would need to detect the incoming beam then adjust the mirror(s) at the speed of light.

Cover it with an array of very small corner cube reflectors.

And btw high quality mirrors in laser applications are usually 99.8% or better in reflectiveness.

http://www.rp-photonics.com/laser_mirrors.html