0
0

[–] Ken_bingo2 ago 

Whenever anyone says "this will be hear in 5 years" you know they are full of shit. Or at least they are full of shit if they can't see the future. Like Miss Cleo.

0
0

[–] jxfaith ago  (edited ago)

There are some practical issues with this ever being used outside of a lab. I have serious doubt that you could focus a laser with sufficient power to generate plasma from miles away without blinding everyone nearby. If not at the point of origin of the attack, then definitely in the vicinity of wherever you focused it.

I've only had mild exposure to optic technology in the lab due to use in manufacturing for a past employer. They were ablating heavy metals with them as part of the manufacturing process. These things were kept behind heavy duty light blocking enclosures, and any lab work had to be performed with interlocks ensuring that the door to the test bench was closed before the optics would fire. And these are lasers making small pockets of plasma in metals less than a meter away. Diffraction through air is a hell of a thing and you would need a laser several times as powerful to generate plasma from miles away.

0
1

[–] MrPim 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

Meaning they've been using them for a decade at least.