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2007-11-10 China-Japan-Koreas

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Posted by Steve White 2007-11-10 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 Israel should try to buy a few.

Posted by 3dc 2007-11-10 00:17|| 2007-11-10 00:17|| Front Page Top

#2 Israel doesn't need to buy these from SKor - they developed their first prototypes of tactical lasers for this purpose back in the 90s. US had parallel research going on and for a while we did joint R&D. Here's an example of the Israeli version.

In the last few years US THELs have successfully shot down a wide range of rockets, artillery and mortar shells in extensive tests. They haven't been deployed due to logistical and tactical issues, not technical ones.

a) Power. The chemically-powered versions put more energy on target, but require frequent resupply of expensive chemicals and disposal of the toxic cannisters afterwards. The versions powered by an electric generator have lower-power energy beams, requiring longer time on target for the kill. They also need logisgtical support, ie. fuel for a generator if you're away from a grid or in case power lines are disrupted.

b) Airspace management. The beams don't fall to earth if they miss the target - they continue on in a mostly straight line and place military and civilian aircraft in danger. This is the most serious issue preventing THEL deployment in Iraq right now.

Air platform-based HELs will probably be deployed as part of ballistic missile defense. But ground based lasers won't be used broadly for a good while, I think. The Korean dmz being one of the exceptions, given the fixed location of the threat etc.

Posted by lotp 2007-11-10 07:27|| 2007-11-10 07:27|| Front Page Top

#3 ...This is a REAL threat to one of the few hammers Kimmie as left in his arsenal: the artillery barrage in the Seoul/Munsan area with which he hopes to blow the defenders away in the opening moments of any attack. If the SKors can figure out a way to make it even a fraction less effective, then Kimmie can kiss any chance of a successful conventional attack goodbye. That leaves him nukes or chemicals, and he knows the response those will bring.
I almost wonder if we're not looking at a 'Red Storm Rising' scenario very soon on the DMZ - a really bad food shortage, an international embarassment, and losing one of the few aces he has left pushing Kimmie to jump...

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2007-11-10 08:56|| 2007-11-10 08:56|| Front Page Top

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Posted by Anonymoose 2007-11-10 10:12|| 2007-11-10 10:12|| Front Page Top

#5 Roll your own

Posted by 3dc 2007-11-10 15:07|| 2007-11-10 15:07|| Front Page Top

23:56 Frank G
23:49 Zenster
23:32 McZoid
22:37 Pappy
22:33 Jules
21:56 Zenster
21:51 trailing wife
21:50 Zenster
21:17 Andy Thrinegum8597
21:12 tu3031
21:10 JohnQC
21:05 trailing wife
20:58 g(r)omgoru
20:53 trailing wife
20:46 trailing wife
20:40 Glenmore
20:39 trailing wife
20:37 trailing wife
20:34 Anonymoose
20:24 trailing wife
19:51 Jules
19:43 lotp
19:37 Frank G
19:32 McZoid