Rheinmetall demos laser that can shoot down drones - Polidicks

[img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65149000/png/_65149121_lasers.png[/img][img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65149000/png/_65149125_lasers.png[/img] [quote][B]The German defence firm used the high-energy laser equipment to shoot fast-moving drones at a distance. The system, which uses two laser weapons, was also used to cut through a steel girder a kilometre away.[/B] The company plans to make the laser weapons system mobile and to integrate automatic cannon. The 50kW laser weapons system used radar and optical systems to detect and track two incoming drones, the company said. The nose-diving drones were flying at 50 metres per second, and were shot down when they reached a programmed fire sector. The weapons system was used to shoot drones out of the air [B]Weather trials[/B] The weapons system locked onto the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by using radar for a rough approximation of the location of the targets, then fine-tuned the tracking using an optical system. The high-energy laser system was used to cut through a 15mm-thick steel girder, and to shoot out of the air a steel ball designed to mimic a mortar round. The company has tested the laser system in a variety of weather conditions, including snow, sunlight, and rain. Rheinmetall plans to test its laser weapons mounted on different vehicles and to integrate a 35mm revolver cannon into it. A number of governments and defence firms are in the process of developing weapons that use or incorporate lasers. For example, Raytheon unveiled a 50kW anti-aircraft laser at the Farnborough Airshow in 2010, and in June 2012 the US Army released details of a weapon that can fire a laser-guided lightning-bolt at a target.[/quote] Source: [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20944726[/url]

neato burrito

Fuck I love the future. [editline]8th January 2013[/editline] Also apparently im gay

This is so bloody awesome! The aircraft has no time to react.. By the time the laser hits, its sensors are like "SHITFUCKSHITFIREFIRE!", and there's a large chunk of the craft missing. Next step: Aircraft with stealth capable deflector shielding. :v:

Anything is cool with lasers, [I]anything[/I]

Aircrafts are going to look bling as fuck when they are covered in 99.9% reflective mirrors

Rheinmetall owns They produce the MG3, which is essentially a rechambered MG42. Best GPMG on the planet.

[QUOTE=hypno-toad;39151201]Aircrafts are going to look bling as fuck when they are covered in 99.9% reflective mirrors[/QUOTE] Too bad the second the sun shines on them you will see them from space.

Now mount these on sharks.

[QUOTE=hypno-toad;39151201]Aircrafts are going to look bling as fuck when they are covered in 99.9% reflective mirrors[/QUOTE] Great, now they will show up bright and easy on RADAR and we can shoot them down with missiles!

[QUOTE=GunFox;39151423]Great, now they will show up bright and easy on RADAR and we can shoot them down with missiles![/QUOTE] Blingmobile counters with lasers! checkmate, son

Those look perfect to cook shrimp on.

[QUOTE=GunFox;39151423]Great, now they will show up bright and easy on RADAR and we can shoot them down with missiles![/QUOTE] thats why u need non-reflective mirrors

[QUOTE=teh pirate;39151237]Rheinmetall owns They produce the MG3, which is essentially a rechambered MG42. Best GPMG on the planet.[/QUOTE] that's not saying much about their technical prowess, being able to produce a design made by someone else you should look to their tank guns for innovation, L44 used by most western nations [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Rheinmetall_120_mm_gun-inside-muzzle_view_PNr%C2%B00109.JPG/800px-Rheinmetall_120_mm_gun-inside-muzzle_view_PNr%C2%B00109.JPG[/img]

-sniop, wrong company-

I just hope that this doesn't fall into the hands of other countries like Iran. I wonder if the rise of laser-based anti-air weapons will result in any doctrine changes since most modern countermeasures like flares and ETC probably won't work with lasers.

[QUOTE=abcpea2;39151456]thats why u need non-reflective mirrors[/QUOTE] Uhhhhhh.......

[quote]. The system, which uses two laser weapons, was also used to cut through a steel girder a kilometre away.[/quote] That's fucking horrifying. Give it another decade or few and these things may (may) have the capacity to cut through moving tanks/ships. For the armored-nerds out there, the steel girder was only 15mm thick. Conventional tank armor today can be up to well over 100mm frontally with the material effectiveness of 1200mm of steel. I really fucking wonder what anti-laser coutermeasures will be? Probably reflective coating or reflective chaffee/smoke. :v: (Currently and via Navy, missiles would still out-range this by quite a bit; but it's certainly a cool step.) [QUOTE=Bbarnes005;39151553]I just hope that this doesn't fall into the hands of other countries like Iran. I wonder if the rise of laser-based anti-air weapons will result in any doctrine changes since most modern countermeasures like flares and ETC probably won't work with lasers.[/QUOTE] The only possible countermeasures would be either against tracking systems (which is already semi-well developed, but it all depends) or via lasers (aka nothing we have conventionally.) I'm not sure how mirrors defuse energy from a laser. Is it based on the effectiveness of a mirror? Does a 100% reflective mirror reflect 100% of the energy? I'm not versed in light physics at all. I imagine opaque/reflective smoke/chaffee will be the cheaper countermeasure and mirror-like coatings will be the extreme. Things like rain, fog, clouds and thick air moisture may affect the capability of a laser. To what severity is well beyond me.

[QUOTE=Doom14;39151693] (Currently and via Navy, missiles would still out-range this by quite a bit; but it's certainly a cool step.) [/QUOTE] The only problem with missiles is that they can be shot down by other missiles, anti-air guns, some air superiority aircraft, and even lasers(THEL, which has been discontinued) like this one and with missiles you also risk collateral damage due to the explosion. Lasers however cannot be easily countered, largely due to the fact the tech for it has not been developed or is still just science fiction. I also think there is less risk for collateral damage since there's no explosion and you possibly adjust the size of the beam. So far all the current laser-based systems(that we know of) have been designed as anti-air weapons, I wonder how long will it be until we see lasers designed to destroy tanks and warships? [B]EDIT: [/B]Did some web Checking: [URL]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_tactical_laser[/URL] I can also imagine there being laws/accords passed than ban laser weapons from being used against infantry due moral reasons(complete disintegration and ETC), but it'd probably be ignored since the Geneva Convention bans using anti-material rifles(Like the M95/M107) against personnel(but not the equipment they're wearing)

[QUOTE=Bbarnes005;39151750] I can also imagine there being laws/accords passed than ban laser weapons from being used against infantry due moral reasons(complete disintegration and ETC), but it'd probably be ignored since the Geneva Convention bans using anti-material rifles(Like the M95/M107) against personnel(but not the equipment they're wearing)[/QUOTE] There are no restrictions on using any anti-material rifle against people. That is a myth. Lasers are okay for use against targets as well. There was some question about ten years ago as to the use of a laser being developed for the F-35 because it would cause blindness, which is restricted by the Geneva conventions, but incidental blindness from a weapon isn't actually restricted as the goal of the laser is to destroy the target, not blind people. Which sounds like a stupid loophole, but keep in mind that conventional shrapnel will claim your eyes all the same. Lasers will likely be accepted for use against any and all targets.

A reflective coating could work as a defense against this, but it'll also make your vehicle stand out from the terrain like a sore thumb.

Guys We're living in the future

It cut a fucking metallic girder one kilometer away?! I wonder how long time it took. Hmm 15mm thick. Probably a few minutes.

Screw sharks, mount these on the panzers.

Dont get that laser in your eyes whatever you do.

[QUOTE=teh pirate;39151237]Rheinmetall owns They produce the MG3, which is essentially a rechambered MG42. Best GPMG on the planet.[/QUOTE] I don't have any idea what this means.

[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;39152748]I don't have any idea what this means.[/QUOTE] The MG3 is the general purpose machine gun (GPMG) of the German military. It is functionally nearly identical to the WWII era MG42 which served as one of the primary squad MG's of the conflict for the German forces. It had a massive rate of fire (1200 rounds per minute. For comparison the modern M240 GPMG, in service with several NATO nations and is comparable to the MG3, which fires a smaller round has about a 750-950 RPM) and was a logistical nightmare as a result, but when provided with sufficient supply of ammunition, it was a nightmare to deal with.

[QUOTE=samuel2213;39151366]Too bad the second the sun shines on them you will see them from space.[/QUOTE] Just say they're aliens and it'd be an intergalactic incident if they shoot it down!

[QUOTE=hypno-toad;39151201]Aircrafts are going to look bling as fuck when they are covered in 99.9% reflective mirrors[/QUOTE] Everything in the future will be chrome obviously :v:

Fucking metal It's going to be interesting to see how lasers get used once they're smaller and more compact, especially working in conjunction with artillery pieces and other kinetic weapons. You can't shoot a laser at a target over a hill. [editline]9th January 2013[/editline] Unless we build giant orbiting mirrors to bounce them off of, which would be fucking awesome