Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Navy Deploys LaWS First Ship-Borne Laser
The US Navy will tear a page from one of my favorite 1960's cartoon shows this summer, as it deploys the first ship-borne laser to the USS Ponce. The stated purpose is to protect the vessel from "asymmetric threats" but we know the real reason - extreme coolness.
(LaWS laser weapon system cartoon video)
After successful testing last year, the Navy is preparing to deploy its first directed energy weapon to the fleet. When it puts to sea this summer, the afloat forward staging base ship USS Ponce will be equipped with the Navy’s Laser Weapon System (LaWS).LaWS is a system based on a design developed by the Navy Research Lab and engineers at the Naval Sea Systems Command and Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren. Its purpose is not to vaporize enemy ships but to provide a low-cost way for the Navy to defend against drones, small boats, light aircraft, and missiles at ranges of about a mile.
(LaWS onboard ship)
If you'd like, play the following video showing the introductory music to Johnny Quest while playing the above video on the Navy's new laser. Pay close attention around 42 seconds in to see a lizard man operating a ship-borne laser!
(See LaWS deployed at 42 second mark - by lizard man!)
Hopefully, foes of the US Navy will not bring large mirrors with them - you know, just on a hunch like Dr. Benton Quest.
I should also mention the Lewiston from EE 'Doc' Smith's 1934 classic Triplanetary - except that this described a space ship-borne beam weapon.
Through the great room the two Lewistons swept at full aperture and at maximum power, two rapidly opening fans of death and destruction... Through the delicately adjusted, complex mechanisms the destroying beams tore. At their touch armatures burned out, high-tension leads volatilized in crashing, high-voltage sparks, masses of metal smoked and burned in the path of vast forces now seeking the easiest path to neutralization, delicate instruments blew up, copper ran in streams like water.
Via ArsTechnica; thanks to Winchell Chung and Fred Kiesche among others for recommending this story.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 3/3/2014)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 1 )
Related News Stories - (" Weapon ")
Man Builds 200 Foot Basement Firing Range
'The basement was huge... carved deep into the rock.' - Clifford Simak, 1963.
Russians Create Robot Tank Platoons
'The remotely-operated robot tank is an old idea...'
Unmanned Boats Attack At Sea
'The autofreighter smashed into the boat...'
Iron Drone Raider Counter-UAV Operations
'You've got an aggressive machine up in the air now.' - Robert Sheckley, 1953.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Replace The Smartphone With A Connected Edge Node For AI Inference
'Buy a Little Dingbat... electropen, wrist watch, pocketphone, pocket radio, billfold ... all in one.'
Artificial Skin For Robots Is Coming Right Along
'... an elastic, tinted material that had all the feel and appearance of human flesh and epidermis.'
Robot Guard Dog On Duty
I might also be thinking of K-9 from Doctor Who.
Wearable Artificial Fabric Muscles
'It is remarkable that the long leverages of their machines are in most cases actuated by a sort of sham musculature...'
BrainBridge Concept Transplant Of Human Head Proposed
'Briquet’s head seemed to think that to find and attach a new body to her head was as easy as to fit and sew a new dress.'
Google's Nano Banana Pro Presents Handwritten Math Solutions
'...copy was turned out in a charming and entirely feminine handwriting.'
Edible Meat-Like Fungus Like Barbara Hambly's Slunch?
'It was almost unheard of for slunch to spread that fast...'
Sunday Robotics 'Memo' Bot Has Unique Training Glove
'He then started hand movements of definite pattern...'
Woman Marries Computer, Vonnegut's Dream Comes True
'Men are made of protoplasm... Lasts forever.'
Natural Gait With Prosthetic Connected To Nervous System
'The leg was to function, in a way, as a servo-mechanism operated by Larry’s brain...'
Spidery 'Walk Me' Toyota Autonomous Wheel Chair Like Star Wars
Walk along with the emperor.
Dancing Robots Taught Dance Moves
'A clockwork figure would be the thing for you...'
Proof Of Robothood - Not A Person
'Who are you people? - Show 'em.'
Indonesian Clans Battle
'The observation vehicle was of that peculiar variety used in conveying a large number of people across rough terrain.'
The 'Last Mile' In China Crowded With Delivery Robots
Yes, it's a delivery robot. On wheels.
Tornyol Microdrone Kills Mosquitoes
'The real border was defended by... a swarm of quasi-independent aerostats.'
