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Lockheed Martin's modular ATHENA laser weapon is headed to production

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Lockheed Martin's modular ATHENA laser weapon is headed to production | Fox News

The US military already has a few high-powered laser weapons at its disposal, but it's about to get a hell of a lot more. Earlier this week, defense contractor Lockheed Martin began production of its modular, Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) laser system for the US Army -- a weapon that's expected to roll out on the battlefield sometime next year.

If you're not familiar with the ATHENA system, all you really need to know is that Lockheed has been working on it for the past few years, and demonstrated its power a few months ago by disabling a truck with it. This feat was accomplished by firing a sustained 30 kilowatt burst at the vehicle's hood, and burning a hole through the engine block. It's ridiculously powerful -- but power alone isn't its most revolutionary feature.

The thing that makes ATHENA special is the fact that it's built using modular techniques. The weapon combines multiple fiber modules to generate an intense laser beam. According to Lockheed, this layered approach "reduces the chance for mission disruption as a result of a component failure and minimizes the need for frequent maintenance or repair."
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I like the modular design.
 
star wars is here. just need an xwing and a hyper drive.
 
Jetboogieman said:
I'll be off to Risa to get jiggy with some green chicks.

It's not cheating if she's not human...
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grrr risa is star trek not star wars. :doh
 
Jetboogieman said:
Sa'll good, the infinite nature of the universe suggests both things could be real :2razz:
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still freaky alien sex sounds fun as long a they don't eat you afterward.
 
ludin said:
star wars is here. Just need an xwing and a hyper drive.
Click to expand...

jetboogieman said:
i'll be off to risa to get jiggy with some green chicks.

It's not cheating if she's not human...
Click to expand...

ludin said:
grrr risa is star trek not star wars. :doh
Click to expand...

jetboogieman said:
sa'll good, the infinite nature of the universe suggests both things could be real :2razz:
Click to expand...

ludin said:
still freaky alien sex sounds fun as long a they don't eat you afterward.
Click to expand...

rip thread
 
I am not sure what this is really good for.

Range will be limited, direct line of sight needed, and very vulnerable to atmospheric conditions. Plus how it might be affected by international treaties is still very much a question that is still being debated.

Linked with RADAR and it would make for a good point defense weapon. But other then that, I am not sure how much use such a weapon would be.
 
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