You might remember that the U.S. Air Force and Boeing have equipped a C-130 plane with an Advanced Tactical Laser for initial air-to-air tests. In September, it finally hit something successfully: A truck. Cool enough, but don't expect any explosions.
The parked truck's hood and engine gets burned through like butter, and as you can see, the accuracy is pretty amazing. If this was a missile, it would have exploded in the air. The laser can produce between 100-300 kW of power, and the next step is to trial it on moving targets.
Even though the Air Force has scaled back the ambitious program's funding, perhaps we may still see the laser make it to battlefields. Maybe on the 250-Foot Long Hybrid Airship that will spy over Afghanistan in 2011? [Boeing via PopSci]
DISCUSSION
That video looks like it was fast forwarded. How long does it really take to fry a truck? It seems like a huge plane following some small vehicle for 15 minutes, slowly heating it with a laser, would be the most awkward battle ever.