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Sir Garlon [soylentnews.org] writes:

According to the Associated Press, the US Navy has announced plans to actually deploy an operational laser weapon [ap.org] aboard the USS Ponce later this year.

The solid-state Laser Weapon System is designed to target what the Navy describes as "asymmetrical threats." Those include aerial drones, speed boats and swarm boats, all potential threats to warships in the Persian Gulf, where the Ponce, a floating staging base, is set to be deployed.

"It fundamentally changes the way we fight," said Capt. Mike Ziv, program manager for directed energy and electric weapon systems for the Naval Sea Systems Command.

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