THEL (The High Energy Laser) vs M1A2 (science guys read)

[Eleas]

(RadiO)
Doesn't sound too outlandish... If this is true, then the People's Liberation Army evidently don't give a damn about any international treaties on "dazzling" lasers / are too pragmatic to avoid fielding a weapon that may soon be depressingly commonplace on the battlefield - depending on your point of view. I'm not too pleased about the prospect."

Nor am I. Short of dirty nukes and poison gas, I'm hard pressed to find a more disgusting weapon.

[phongn]

Are any of these people "In the know"" known, because they know"?
I am sorry, but that line sounded a bit tweaker.

....well, I suppose I deserved that

Anyone truly in aposition to know these things wouldn't be talking to you, me or anyone else without the propper security clearence. Or if they are, they won't be for long. Counter intell guys play rough.

Trust me, the persons (and moderators) on that board are very careful to ensure that nothing classified appears on the board. They know quite well about security and what they can or cannot say.

Usually, they'll say this is finger-breaking or 'spinal emulsification' territory if they don't say anything relevant.

You will notice that the only REAL, hard data on this project is very general, unclassified stuff, or PR fluff by the manufacturer, interested in keeping the funds going.

Quite.

To balance this, corporate fluff always overstates the effectiveness of any new system, by a factor of 10.(Patriot missiles!)

Well, in defense of Patriot, it was never intended to engage TBMs like SCUD - it was an anti-aircraft SAM pressed into service for that. The warhead was simply too small to ensure total destruction of the missile. The PAC-3 version of it has been designed specifically to destroy TBMs with its kinetic-kill warhead (and PAC-2 remains in service for killing other things, as it has longer range).

Maybe the Chinese are working on something similar, but let us not forget, that even with the larger population base to work with, only a small percentage are well educated. (Less than 30% is literate, according to an LA Times article on education in China, that I read today, in today's issue.)Imported talent has a way of turning right around, and selling your secrets to the NEXT guy.

True, but the post pretty much said that China had considerable investments in the field and he'd not be suprised if (when) the PRC comes out with their own system that it'd be superior to our own.

How well it integrates into the whole is another question entirely.

ICBMs, for strategic deterance of the USA. "Is Taiwon worth five US cities?" is the implied threat in the form of a question we hear so often.

Of course, this threat will be radically reduced in a few years when the NMD system reaches IOC.

The ugly possibility of stealing the plans is a very real one. They did it before, with the 3rd generation nukes. Even so, without the tech base, you can not make, or maintain such a system.

True. But we'll see. (The same person who talked about the PRC's laser technology also said he believed their stealing of the W80 was a stabilizing factor rather than a destabilizing one.)

[phongn]

I forsee anti laser optical protection will be part of the equation. This is the reverse of light amplification used in night vision. Weapon, counter, weapon counter. The dance of death goes on. Now is never stabil for long, as the music continues.

IIRC, the US is or will be fielding protecting lenses to counter the possible threat.

[phongn]

PS:
When I was in the military, I held a "Secret" clearance.

Actually, so did quite a few of my relatives, I think. Some worked on the TLAM project at Honeywell back in the day

Anytime you hear someone claiming to tell you classified data, they are:
Fools, who should keep their stupid mouth shut, before they trip over it and get hurt. (See traitors) Least likely.
Traitors, who should be shot, for stupidity, if not for treason. Even less likely.

Braggarts, full of shit, and snowing you because they know you can't check up on their source. Most likely.

Indeed. When I talked about the above, please remember that said persons were not giving out such data - all publically available (though you might have to dig).

[EmperorChrostas the Cruel]

Phong:
There are many people morking in the defence industry, that hold higher clearances than I did. I hope they are smarter than I am, as well. We need such people to give soldiers like me, (even ex-ones) the weapons to fight. For every man in the field, there are 10 in support roles. For every one in support, there are thousands in the military industrial complex, keeping our magazines full. God bless them all. (remember, I'm an atheist, but the sentiment is the same!)
It must seriously vex the people working in these places, being unable to talk, with any detail, of the great work they do.
They better not tell anyone, or they will have to kill them!

[phongn]

Oh, it does, especially when someone says something they know isn't true, but have to keep their mouth shut for security reasons.