Laser weapons come: US military leadership gathered in Orlando this week for the annual AirWarfare conference. Militants meet at this conference to discuss their plans for weapons that can cause major disasters. According to a publication, the largest non-funded project that US Special Operations Management hopes to pass, is a C-130 that will be equipped with a very powerful laser weapon.
Lieutenant Brad Webb, the chief of the Air Force Special Operations Command, is one of those who are very optimistic about the project.
"There are many suppliers that really help us continue to advance technology together,” he says.
In 2015, Lt. Gen. Brad Heithold, who was then the head of the Air Force's Special Operations Command, told the Breaking Defense that he believes that "we can put high energys lasers (offensive and defensive) on AC-130 before the close of this decade.”
Webb reports that the airborne laser program has already tested a defensive one laser on the front of a 747 jetliner in 2012.
Since then, according to Webb, things have changed and as the technology has improved, and the project could become a reality soon.
These weapons have been tested by Boeing and are capable of drilling holes in trucks.
So since the license to use the Laser Weapon already exists System as the original defense weapon is called, the plan is to use C-130s as an anti-ballistic missile for missile defense that could retaliate in the event of an attack.
Webb also acknowledged that "at some point there should be a political debate about where and how we can use these specific weapons.
But with the new Trump government and the White House asking for an increase in the defense budget at 54 billion dollars, it is very likely that the project will find the funding it needs very soon.