Air Force Plans to Arm Next-Gen Fighters with Laser Weapons

The US Air Force is looking ahead to the next generation of fighter jets weapons platform and wants to arm them with high-powered lasers. The Department of Defense is apparently already on board with the concept and the Air Force plans on have a working test of the platform within ten years.

The Air Force added in its request that it is currently investigating laser and beam control systems independent of the platform from altitudes up to 65 kilofeet — or around 12 miles — and speeds upward of Mach 2.5, the equivalent of 1,854.543225 miles/hour in dry air.