No.1564[Reply]
Tactical High Energy Lasers (THEL) and Mobile Tactical High Energy Lasers (MTHEL), laser weapons/missile defense systems which had been discussed and tested since at least the 1990s. I remember reading about the White Sands missile base testing this stuff all the way back then. Apparently the real purpose was to give the technology to Israel, who reportedly have now completed its successor, the "Iron Beam," for which the first unit will reportedly be operational this month.
Back in the 2000s, there were a number of problems with this system. Firstly, to generate a laser beam with the necessary level of heat required an incredible amount of energy. The equipment was also very heavy at that time, as you can imagine from these illustrations, and aiming the large lens would have required an apparatus with a great deal of speed and precision.
It seems like, after all these decades, these devices may be ready. Whether or not they are effective remains to be seen.
Are they? Will this be a major advantage for the evil empire? If you live near one, would you like to give us some info about it, and/or sabotage it?
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No.1575
Well, this stuff seems to have turned out to be basically useless.