U.S. shipborne laser weapon passes test

The U.S. Navy said in April that it had developed a laser cannon capable of destroying aircraft and small ships, and planned to continue testing it in the Arabian Gulf within eight months. In combat tests, the weapon has shot down low-flying aircraft and destroyed small ships. Developers say the weapon achieved a 100 percent hit rate in 12 fire tests, including a test on a destroyer last August. The ship's flight deck houses a giant white hull that shields the lasers, as well as the generators that drive the lasers. The main question now is how to focus the infusion on the target and with the water vapor across the sea. If these two issues are resolved, lasers will usher in a new era of naval weapons. For example, instead of relying on various systems to track aircraft, ships will be able to use lasers as warning signals to point at intruding aircraft. If the invading plane does not change its course, the laser can be activated to attack.