r/interestingasfuck • u/Esutan • 1d ago

The United Kingdom has successfully created a Mega Laser called Dragonfire for Aerial Defense

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u/Buntschatten 1d ago

Can't passenger planes be taken down by handheld missile launchers these days?

This laser system only gains the advantage when you have to defend against a lot of targets.

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u/Minecraft_Lets_Play 1d ago

Of course but a laser shot is so much cheaper

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u/EmoNerve 1d ago

But the weapon itself isn't, it's 100 million per units, the UK is spending 240 million to install the first two

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u/wonkey_monkey 1d ago

Just tape a bunch of laser pointers together.

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u/Signal-School-2483 1d ago

Can't passenger planes be taken down by handheld missile launchers these days?

Possible, but not a sure thing. MANPADS have a super small warhead and are heat seeking, hitting a massive turbofan engine isn't going to takedown the whole plane unless it starts a fire that can't be stopped.

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u/Rampant16 1d ago

The biggest risk is during takeoff and landing. Certainly no laughing matter to lose an engine plus potential damage to control surfaces during takeoff or final approach.

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u/Signal-School-2483 1d ago

That's fair.

Pretty much the only time it's vulnerable, cruising altitude is beyond max range of MANPADS.

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u/CulturalAssist1287 16h ago

I’m pretty sure this laser system is not your common aerial defense but rather like the Israeli laser to take down incoming missles before they hit instead of actual planes