Whoah!!! Boeing now controls the Matrix

Whatever you do, don't get Boeing pissed off at you. Pretty amazing how this obsoletes so many protection systems.

You sure you got the right link? The article I see is about shooting down small radio control planes with a laser.

Yes, he has the right link, the system that shoots down the planes is called the Mobile Active Targeting Resource for Integrated eXperiments (MATRIX).

Ahhhh. Missed that bit. Sorry.

Doesn't really mean much though does it. Sure it sounds impressive but what they are actually saying is that they managed to disable a small radio control plane with a high powered laser mounted to the back of a truck. Not really that hard to do. If the wing construction is ribs on a spar covered with dark coloured Solartex or Solarfilm ( Or tissue for you old timers.) all you would have to do is to melt a couple of holes in it and the plane would become un-flyable.

I may be more impressed if I knew a bit more about the construction of the plane. If all the surface areas were covered in reflective film ( $6.99 a meter down your local model shop.), I don't think the laser would stand much of a chance. I doubt it could even melt the propeller what with the amount of air cooling the prop would get.

Jay R said:

Ahhhh. Missed that bit. Sorry.

Doesn't really mean much though does it. Sure it sounds impressive but what they are actually saying is that they managed to disable a small radio control plane with a high powered laser mounted to the back of a truck. Not really that hard to do. If the wing construction is ribs on a spar covered with dark coloured Solartex or Solarfilm ( Or tissue for you old timers.) all you would have to do is to melt a couple of holes in it and the plane would become un-flyable.

I may be more impressed if I knew a bit more about the construction of the plane. If all the surface areas were covered in reflective film ( $6.99 a meter down your local model shop.), I don't think the laser would stand much of a chance. I doubt it could even melt the propeller what with the amount of air cooling the prop would get.

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Perhaps a bit more research on the topic would help broaden your appreciation of the technology. For obvious strategic reasons, it is hard to find detailed and reliable sources on the subject.

What this is headed towards (if not there already--but kept under wraps) is shooting down missiles, planes, other aerial threats, which will make the Patriot Missile defense systems obsolete. Also with an airborne/satellite source eventually will be used for precision ground target strikes with zero collateral damage. Assume they are not showing the true potential in a public video.

This is the sort of Reagan Star Wars seemingly impossible project that freaked out the Russians/Soviet Empire. Well it's here.

LuxLuthor said:

Perhaps a bit more research on the topic would help broaden your appreciation of the technology.

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To be honest, I believe my appreciation of the technology is pretty good. My father worked in the aerospace/military industry his whole life. I built my first laser when I was about 12 from bits he brought home for me and on a trip to his work at 14 threw my first hand grenade. I did a three year electronics apprenticeship when I left school and I even worked in a radio control model shop for a while where we used to fly planes for the local shotgun club so's they could shoot them down. I don't honestly think that there is a single aspect of the article that I don't have pretty good knowledge of.
That said, I'm not saying that the technology as a rule isn't amazing and the link to the Boeing YAL-1 certainly gives you an appreciation of it. I'm just saying that this particular article is about them shooting down a small radio control plane from a laser mounted on the back of a Hummer. Compared to the YAL-1 wepons system, pretty small stuff.
I personally think that the tracking and targeting system that the laser is connected to probably deserves more kudos than the laser itself.

p.s. I'm now 40 and work in accounts. Go figure ! :laughing:

Jay, understood. Didn't mean to sound patronizing.

Mainly I'm pointing at what the reality must be if they are showing these stories/videos. You can be sure it has advanced way beyond what they are showing publicly, and with respect, none of us outside of the top secret program people have any real idea how far it has advanced.

Sorry to break it to you Lux, but it's President Obama controlling the Matrix.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbZKFklMxaY

Sweet Jesus. Is there no end to the nightmare? It's like I woke up in an alternate reality about a year ago.

Jay R said:

I personally think that the tracking and targeting system that the laser is connected to probably deserves more kudos than the laser itself.

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+1

The idea that we can detect, track, target and engage things like small UAV's is amazing to me. Yeah, I love that big chemical laser too but the precision to aim it to minuscule minutes of angle from fast moving platforms is at least equally impressive. Speaking of the airborne system now of course.

LuxLuthor said:

Jay, understood. Didn't mean to sound patronizing.

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No worries. I got lucky on past experience with this one.


It's a brave new world out there guys. Problem is, tech is advancing so fast, it's a brave new world every morning.


Of course, not having the Patriot system over here, it's not such a worry. In fact, as the system is being developed in the US, you shouldn't worry too much either. It'll probably be a long time till any of your enemies get quite as far advanced and when they do, you'll have something better.

Back in 1983 when I was interviewing with some of the major aerospace companies the word from a friend that interned at one was there was already a test platform on an 707 sized plane that could pop a missile fired from an F-14 more often than not. Today the targeting is faster, smaller and probably better.

But in case the MIB come knocking at my door. My account was hacked and I have no knowledge of this post......