Le lundi 18 avril 2016 16:23:19 UTC+2, Mikkel Haaheim a écrit :   
   > Okay, this is just off the top of my head from reading these three posts...   
   Weaponisation is not a principle interest of mine... But your exchange forces   
   me to ask if perhaps it might be possible to use the c-howitzer concept to   
   essentially pump an ion    
   laser. A shaped-charge nuclear blast would generate a plasma pulse that   
   threads an oscillating magnetic field, producing a laser pulse. This should   
   produce a yield not possible with current electron lasers because the energy   
   cost of generating the free    
   electrons is usually too high. Furthermore, at closer ranges, the plasma might   
   remain intact, so that it drills through right behind the laser beam.   
   >    
   > Keep in mond, this is not even back-of-the-envelope work. It is entriely   
   possible, and likely, that therre is no way this would work. I just wanted to   
   through it into the mix.   
      
   What kind of laser design would you use? For what I found about ion lasers,   
   they don't seem to be usable that way.   
      
   Assuming such a plasma-powered laser, additional losses would make it less   
   powerful than a pure Casaba Howitzer, however the laser itself may have better   
   range. So you are trading power for range.   
      
   Whether it is interesting probably depends on what technology and industry is   
   available (and what are your targets), as well as how bulky the whole thing   
   end up being. It may be more interesting to use a sub-par (more accessible)   
   X-ray mirror: less steps    
   gives more efficiency, and the short wavelength potentially gives better   
   range. Depending on the plasma-powered laser design, it may also be shorter   
   and/or lighter.   
   On the other hand, if the laser can use any wavelength, you could also use a   
   wavelength that won't be absorbed by air, for atmospheric/anti-surface use.   
      
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