Cold War II and a Boeing Laser Test
So the US--well Boeing specifically--recently tested its C-130H mounted laser system from the aircraft for the first time. The aircraft was on the ground, but in-flight tests are expected to follow on shortly.
This one has been a long time coming, being in development for 20 years or more. The advantage to this system, unlike its much more expensive and ambitious space spaced big big brother, is that it can be used effectively in a specific theater of operations to neutralize common threats such as SCUD missiles, cruise missles, ICBM launch attemts, and the more mundane duty of blowing up stuff on the ground (which we already have a lot of options for). This tactical air-control will offer a huge advantage to the US, as well as protection for troops and to a lesser extent, citizens.
The second part of the story is perhaps the more interesting. The first thing that happened after the Boeing announcement? Russia claimed it had the same technology.. in 1972! Though not officially an official government response, a state controlled news agency put out the report that the US was actually 36 years behind, and Russia has since developed much more advanced systems etc. etc. The statement that Russia was able to build such a system of comparable effectiveness in the early 70's is of course ludicrous. Things get difficult when you are running your CAD software on this:
The interesting thing here is how it fits into the greater story of Russia trying to resestablish itself as one of the main powers in the world. It seems as though the only way Russia can think of establishing its power, is to act like it was 1972. They have started overflights of the north atlantic with bombers and ASW aircraft, they have started threatening neighbors such as Georgia with military action, and they have established a confrontational and defiant tone, trying to set themselves back up in the traditional binary opposition of the Cold war. The thing is, they are the only one still playing the game. No one else cares. Everyone learned after the end of the Cold War that most of the Russian "power" was a sham, the economy was a joke, and since the mid 60's they had simply fallen further and further behind the West in every measurable category. Sure they were glory times for Russia, and certainy I see the desire to return to such times, but the game is up, its been up for a while. Lets hope this is just nationalistic posturing for the benefit of citizens, but I do not believe that to be the case.
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