lasers

[bigfizz]

What is the distructive power of the most powerful laser in the world?

[jake-the-peg]

The NOVA laser at Lawrence Livermore produces 100 terrawatts and is used for Fusion research.

It uses 50 KJoules of energy that's about that of an artillary round or 20 or so rifle rounds and takes a power supply housed in a 3 story building

The NIF laser being created there is even more powerful.

http://www.llnl.gov/nif/

Sorry to disappoint but these are not destructive "James Bond style superweapons" but attempts to generate power from nuclear fusion which would give a controllable power supply without Uranium with very little nuclear waste






http://oemagazine.com/newscast/2004/070104_new scast01.html

[Octavius]

Military uses of lasers include use as target designators for other weapons; their use as directed-energy weapons is currently under research. Laser weapon systems under development include the airborne laser, the advanced tactical laser, the Tactical High Energy Laser, the High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System, and the MIRACL, or Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser.

The OMEGA, is currently the world's highest-energy ultraviolet laser.