Warfare at the speed of light

October 21, 2003 | Source: Oakland Tribune

The Pentagon inside of a decade could be armed with a beam weapon that is near-instantaneous, gravity-free and truly surgical.

It could focus to such hair-splitting accuracy that it could avoid civilians while detonating munitions miles away or even cruise missiles at ranges of up to dozens of miles in good weather.

In clear air above the clouds, a high-powered laser could reach 500 miles to destroy rising ballistic missiles.