I keep telling you, THAT is not a laser.
Now zip up your pants.

brilliant

5 stars for Hank

cats will chase it?

"We have the technology. The time is now. Science can wait no longer. Children are our future. America can, should, must, and will burn the hood of a car!"

It's supposed to heat up ballistic missiles just enough to detonate them or at least cook their electronics.

I find it a little unsettling that it is pulling to the right when trying to hit a stationary object.

It's on a freaking PLANE that is MOVING. I'm amazed it's not just blasting all over the place.

It punctures fuel tanks or ignites the solid fuel, depending on what's being targeted.

I think it could also ruin your car or singe your hair, but should it be low enough, I guess it would make a hole clean through your head.

I think that would do a little more than "singe your hair."

oh no wait this isn't the antimissile one, it's this one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_tactical_laser

Well, your hair would be sort of singed and attached to an agonizing pork rind deep fried in grease, hair gel and anti-dandruff shampoo.

Everything you mentioned could be done easier and better with a bullet

tinfoil hats are now completely justified

bullets don't go the speed of light.

But what if the missile it was being fired at had a mirror finish? A highly IR-reflecting polish job probably wouldn't affect a missile much compared to adding armor, and would make this obsolete. Be cool for zapping artillery shells though.

C-130 hercules

It occupies almost the entire cargo area of the C-130, too. Not a practical weapon, very costly and heavy.

http://themostfeared.blogspot.com/2009/10/boeing-advanced-tact ical-laser-strikes.html

we all do, kid

Damn, beat me to it.

even money on the laser