The Flying Laser Cannon

Boeing’s new laser cannon will melt a car from five miles away, in seconds.  -Its ready to fly this year too.

Scientists at Boeing’s Laboratory will put a 40,000 pound chemical laser into the belly of a C-130 gunship and take aim at targets over five miles away! We are not talking about soda cans – Boeing’s laser can melt cars, trucks, and even tanks!  These are the kind of things that missles and rockets would hit.  The ATL, advanced tactical laser, can strike in rapid succession, and move at the speed of light.

Precise control over the beam allows it to hit targets a few inches wide and focus its power on that one spot.  Future versions could be mounted on smaller vehicles like trucks and helicopters.

How to melt a car in 3 seconds:

When a C-130 airborne laser cannon flies in, it picks out its target.  The computers automatically stay locked on, so the gunner doesn’t have to constantly change it.  Then, here comes the laser.  In a fraction of a second, chlorine gas mixes with hydrogen peroxide and this creates highly energetic oxygen molecules.  Pressurized nitrogen pushes the oxygen through a mist of iodine, transferring the energy into the iodine.  This puts it into a form of light.  Mirrors then amplify the beam further increasing its power.  The beam then travels into a chamber called the optical bench.  Sensors determine the lasers quality and mirrors constantly adjust it from the movement of the airplane.  The chamber also has temperature monitors and humidity monitors, helping the beam stay powerful.  A reverse telescope type chamber expands the beams diameter to about 20 inches.  It then travels to the turret, which aims and fires the beam.  Computers calculate distance to adjust the beam to the right focal point.

Facts:

the beam can heat up objects to thousands of degrees in a few seconds.

the laser will burn everything in its path(that includes birds – but don’t worry, there is a very small chance.)

The left over used chemicals are stored in a sealed chamber.