From: Monte Davis 

"Rich Gauszka"  wrote:

>Through 9/11, the THEL demonstrator detected, tracked and shot down 28
>Katyusha rockets.  The MTHEL Test Bed, through changes to its acquisition
>and tracking software, also successfully hit five artillery projectiles in
>flight.  "We've just turned science-fiction into reality," an
Army general
>said...

THEL hardware is sitting in a warehouse, among other reasons because field
commanders -- US as well as IDF -- have a weak-kneed, lily-livered,
Islamofascist-appeasing reluctance to operate in a target zone with six
(count 'em six) schoolbus-sized vehicles, four of which are filled with
pressurized, volatile, toxic and/or corrosive substances. As it's a
point-defense system, you would *by definition* be in a target zone.

Energy storage density and high power-handling needs have always been the
stumbling blocks for kewl light sabers, from THEL to the USAF's
missile-zapping plane to orbital battle stations. They all really demand a
hyperultrasuperduper battery. That, of course, would revolutionize many
technologies; it has been and is being sought far beyond defense
applications.

That doesn't preclude this choice sample of mututal pimpery, by a long-time
champion of directed energy weapons, for an organ of both the go-Israel-go!
and go-miltech-go! camps:

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=16135

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