US Navy brings down drone with LaWS raygun

[The Straight Story]

US Navy brings down drone with LaWS raygun

THE US Navy has a raygun - and it's a big one.

In a red-letter week for the US military, its Naval Sea Systems command "successfully tracked, engaged, and destroyed” several unmanned aircraft with its Laser Weapon System, otherwise known as LaWS.

On the ground, iRobot unveiled its gift to the Pentagon - the 710 Warrior designed to clear an entire 45 square metre minefield in one blow.

But first, the raygun.

According to The Register, "it represents the first Detect-Thru-Engage laser shoot-down of a threat representative target in an over-the-water, combat representative scenario".

LaWS is fitted to the Navy's "R2-D2" robotic gun turret and looks every bit like what you'd expect a raygun to look like.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/us-brings-drone-down-with-laws-raygun/story-e6frfro0-1225874886708

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

1. Dr. Evil want's to know...

When can we get one on the moon or attached to a shark's head... whichever is more expedient?

[BootinUp]

2. Would have liked to see a video of the LaWS in action. nt

[damntexdem]

3. Oh, those interservice rivalries!

;-)