[extropy-chat] LASER: DARPA's HELLADS small laser weapon makes headway

[Mike Lorrey]

Firstly, your ciaonet reference page is login access only.

Secondly, any weapon small enough to fit on a fighter aircraft, which
is what HELLADS is intended for in its final version, would not have an
aperture or beam size of 12 cm. Aerodynamics and airframe space
limitations wouldn't allow it. The point of the weapon is something
that replaces the 20 mm vulcan cannon currently standard equipment on
US fighters and is typically mounted within one or the other wing root.
A laser weapons caliber/beam width should be of similar dimensions,
thus 20 mm would be about .80 caliber. Beam size between .50-1.50", or
12-37mm are what the application would call for.

If you can't fit the weapon inside the cavity reserved for the vulcan
cannon, don't waste your time. Especially if it winds up being some
add-on pod that takes up bomb/missile/fuel tank rack space, and
detracts from vehicle aerodynamics.

--- Dirk Bruere <dirk.bruere at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 9/5/05, Mike Lorrey <mlorrey at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > 
> > --- Dirk Bruere <dirk.bruere at gmail.com> wrote:
> > 
> > > On 9/2/05, Mike Lorrey <mlorrey at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > 100 kW is qualitatively different from 1 kW just as a microwave
> > > > oven is different from a radar gun.
> > > >
> > > The power density is identical between what I tested and a 100kW
> > > beam with a width of approx 12cm
> > > No new phenomena.
> > 
> > What makes you think the beam width of the weapon is 12 cm? You are
> > fudging the numbers to make yourself right.
> > 
> > 
> I'm being very generous.
> The real beam dia is almost certainly larger
> http://www.ciaonet.org/wps/fog01/
> 
> Dirk
> > _______________________________________________
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> 


Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
Founder, Constitution Park Foundation:
http://constitutionpark.blogspot.com
Personal/political blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com


	
		
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