Poll question for future weapon programs--light energy

[Gene2]

I know it has been a thing of the future and in all of the "scifi" movies, but the military has developed some sorts of light energy weapons that can stun, or even burn down missles (such as the Airborne Laser program being runned by the U.S. Airforce). There has been testing with microwave lasers (masers according to wikepdia), electrolasers, and plasma (which I do not believe the military has tested with). My question to you is;

When do you think that laser energy infantry small arms will come into being for the U.S. or British, or so on's military?

Right now it would be hard to generate the energy, store it in a weapon, or even cool it down or contain a power source. But I was just wondering from everyone on their oppinion.

[Jippo]

AFAIK LEL (low energy) weapons exist already, and although not necessarily used primariraly for such purpose some laser range finders act as LEL weapons.

They burn retina of the eye and cause blindness.


-jippo

[Kekkonen]

AFAIK LEL (low energy) weapons exist already, and although not necessarily used primariraly for such purpose some laser range finders act as LEL weapons.

They burn retina of the eye and cause blindness.

-jippo

It was feared that the Warsaw pact had these weapons during the cold war (on MBTs and such). In Swedish mobilization storages there was an eyepatch during the cold war that was used on one eye (think pirate), so in case these weapons were used against them, they would only become blind on one eye. Not that I have ever seen it being used, but I have seen the eyepatch.

http://www.sinodefence.com/army/tank/type987l.jpg
The laser countermeasures system onboard the Type 98/99 comprises laser
warning receiver (LWR), laser self-defence weapon (LSDW), laser range-
finding, and laser communications/IFF systems.

[JoaMei]

p-)

http://www.wickedlasers.com/

Follow the Link! They sell laserpointers strong enough to ignite a Match or pop Balloons. But they arent cheap.... :)