Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Israel rolls out laser defense system

reuters.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

201–210 of 250 posts

Re: Israel rolls out laser defense system

#201

Post by weatherlite »

sandworm101 wrote: post #139
nekcihc wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those lasers do not burn through. #2 does not have to hit exactly the same place as #1 is heating up to boil electronics. No idea, what is meant under lasers in article, but what they were describing could be even be concentrated radio microwaves to fry electronics. There is no need to use concentrated heat to heat up a tea - your target is making a tea, not making a hole in kettle.

If there are electronics, the sort of electronics that run inside missiles arent the sort to be boiled. Its a pretty harsh environment. And with unguided rockets, most of the stuff fired as isreal, there simply arent any electronics.

Israel is very concerned with the guided stuff that Hezbollah backed by Iran has been amassing the last decade.

Re: Israel rolls out laser defense system

#202

Post by [deleted] »

sandworm101 wrote: post #27
simplyaccont wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I will believe it when I see it. Focusing that much light on a small moving object, through layered and moving air, with an intensity to burn through metal would be an achievement. Burning through enough of that metal to degrade a falling rocket (as opposed to during boost phase of flight) is even harder. it's been working 20 years ago. it's just systems were too big. you needed 2-3 tracks to supply energy to laser…

Any foil will do, just as the JWST's sunshield is effective against all the wavelengths coming off the sun. Gold or silver is best, but aluminum foil from the grocery store is extremely reflective across all wavelengths we would call laser. Just giving the metal rocket a good polish would make a significant difference.

[deleted]

Re: Israel rolls out laser defense system

#203

Post by weatherlite »

simplyaccont wrote: post #53
sandworm101 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any foil will do, just as the JWST's sunshield is effective against all the wavelengths coming off the sun. Gold or silver is best, but aluminum foil from the grocery store is extremely reflective across all wavelengths we would call laser. Just giving the metal rocket a good polish would make a significant difference.

there is some difference, but I guess all the companies that sank billions into directed energy weapons missed that aluminum foil from shop can negate all their efforts

I agree, as corrupt as some military industry can be, I highly doubt something dumb as aluminum foil can defeat the laser.

Re: Israel rolls out laser defense system

#204

Post by weatherlite »

flyinglizard wrote: post #96
sandworm101 wrote: post #21

I will believe it when I see it. Focusing that much light on a small moving object, through layered and moving air, with an intensity to burn through metal would be an achievement. Burning through enough of that metal to degrade a falling rocket (as opposed to during boost phase of flight) is even harder. For all the talk about cost reduction, have a look at what realworld laser armor costs. Painting the nosecone of…

My understanding is this will be used right next to the Gaza border meaning it will get the rockets during boost phase. Iron Dome will still exist at the other end of the course to shoot down the remaining rockets.

Initially maybe but the goal is to have protection for Israel's north and center from Iranian/Hezbollah missiles. Hamas isn't perceived as a major threat.

Re: Israel rolls out laser defense system

#205

Post by weatherlite »

jimnotgym wrote: post #39

...and then what. What will they do when the rockets get faster, shinier, more erratic in flight...or any of the other things mentioned on this thread? I'm not going to pretend I have the solutions to the Arab Isreali conflict, but this is at best temporary. My best guess is the long term solution (if there is ever one attempted) will be more related to why people are motivated to launch rockets at their neighbours.

Iran doesn't want peace with Israel, Iran wants Israel dismantled as a Jewish state. There is no negotiating with this.

Re: Israel rolls out laser defense system

#206

Post by HWR_14 »

nradov wrote: post #195
HWR_14 wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The issue is global conflicts have a lot of missiles. Your 98% success rate probably still means most Americans are dead. IIRC Russia's ICBMs are measured in tens of thousands, and each one could take out a major US city (until we ran out)

Russia has only about 1600 operational nuclear warheads on a much smaller number of ICBMS. It's not tens of thousands. https://thebulletin.org/premium/2021-03/nuclear-notebook-rus... But even with that lower number you're correct that we have no hope of defending against a major strike.

Ah, I had thought 1600 missiles x MIRV multiples of at least 12. But thanks for the correction. I'm sure people in Nampa, Idaho will sleep safer.

Re: Israel rolls out laser defense system

#207

Post by weatherlite »

jimnotgym wrote: post #102
RegnisGnaw wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These "advanced" rockets will be more costly, which means your more limited on how many you can afford to fire. Thus Israel can intercept these "advanced" rockets with other solutions: Iron Dome, Arrow 2, Arrow 3, and David's Sling. The Iron Beam is the low cost per intercept solution, meant to intercept cheap unguided ballistic rockets.

Other people on here have suggested that tin foil will do as protection, or metal polish for that matter. Im guessing this will make no difference in the number of rockets at all

You must really wrap that foil hard for it not to fall off with the missile flying at Mach 4. They'd probably need to use a bunch of duck tape to secure the foil, and with inflation making duck tape more expensive it will hurt their economies. Win for Israel.

Re: Israel rolls out laser defense system

#208

Post by weatherlite »

awakeasleep wrote: post #164
nickff wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Random commenters on HN are not smarter than the Palestinians nor the Israelis involved in this conflict. I am sure that 'tin foil' (by which I believe you mean aluminum foil) will not work.

What you say is true but we dont know how much marketing fluff we’re dealing with in this press release, either.

It's not just Israel building laser interceptors, it's also the U.S. In fact the U.S has been researching this for decades. I find it hard to believe no one has thought of the aluminum foil measure, but I'm willing to entertain the idea since army people are army people.

Re: Israel rolls out laser defense system

#209

Post by ocschwar »

golergka wrote: post #86
ocschwar wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Historically they've not done that because they know the IDF's response is proportional to the civilian casualties on the Israeli side. Better to wait for clear weather when iron dome is maximally effective.

This doesn't make any sense. The whole point is to get a bigger IDF response, bloodier palestinian casualties, louder western media coverage and larger help packages to pocket.

If you want to stay in the news, cost the Israeli army money on Iron Dome rockets, rattle Israeli nerves but not watch Gaza get steamrolled yet again, you send the rockets on a clear day when Iron Dome can intercept them with ease.

If you do want yet another IDF counterassault, then yes, launch in foggy weather.

Hamas mostly takes the first option.

Re: Israel rolls out laser defense system

#210

Post by ocschwar »

nradov wrote: post #193
skinnymuch wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They? Do you not see how offensive that is to group together 1.7M people like that? When if that same sort of wording happens for almost any other situation, it’s called out as wrong, which it obviously is, very quickly. There is a common dog whistle and coded word sort of stuff especially recently with China. Instead of specify the authoritarian Govt and elite in China, one may say the Chinese used to be X but now t…

Palestinians literally elected Hamas in a democratic election. So actions by Hamas apparently represent the will of the people. That's hardly comparable to China and North Korea, which are authoritarian dictatorships where the governments were never elected.

WHile true, it's worth remembering that Hamas has not submitted to new elections in quite some time.
Post reply on HN