Let me start by saying that I have an immense amount of respect for the United States Navy. Due in part largely to the sacrifices that they continuously make for our country, but also because any one of them could easily break my bones in half -not to mention that my dog paddle technique is about the worst thing you could imagine. That said, these days I find myself especially respectful of the Navy, this time because I’ve seen video of them melting a dinghy using a laser from several miles away. That’s some straight up Superman sh-t we’re talking about, right there.
The classified testing took place off the waters of Central California, near San Nicholas Island in the Pacific Ocean. A single laser was fired, mounted from the deck of a test vessel from an undisclosed distance away.
“We were able to have a destructive effect on a high-speed cruising target,” chief of Naval research Rear Adm. Nevin Carr told FoxNews.com.
Some details of the event were classified, including the exact range of the shot, but Carr could provide some information: “We’re talking miles, not yards,” Carr said. [source]
My only gripe is that the Navy needs to hire a new editor for their YouTube videos. Though you can clearly see the dinghy erupting into flames, never once does a song from Godsmack or Disturbed start playing. Come on, you guys, act professional.
Video after the jump:
[via Geekologie]