From: trident5955@gmail.com   
      
   As far as I recall Casaba-Howitzer operates because of the fact that energy in   
   nuclear reaction is released initially in the form of X-rays which then   
   produce plasma heating the casing. Howitzer just as Orion pulse unit -uses   
   some special casing made of    
   depleted uranium to reflect part of the radiation into desired direction.   
   Howitzer is build such that  the nuke is encased in uranium shell but one one   
   side of it there is a material translucent to X -rays (like beryllium oxide)   
   instead of uranium. This    
   is where X rays are directed. Finally beryllium oxide is covered by high-Z   
   material that is used to generate plasma in that particular direction in  a   
   sufficiently narrow cone. One could think of replacing that High-Z material   
   with laser rod to create    
   coherent X-rays......   
      
      
   The essential problem is economics though. Such a weapon is not  Teller's   
   satelite that can aim at fifty targets. Such a device will be used to attack   
   single targets. If this target is RV with nuke then you will need to use one   
   nuclear pumped laser    
   against EVERY warhead and such a device will presumably cost more than a   
   warhead. The ofense will be cheaper than the defense ( it will be cheaper for   
   attacker to build more rockets than for you to build howitzer's) which somewht   
   defeat's the purpose.    
   The only option is to use these lasers to shout MIRVED missiles, but  I'm not   
   sure whether this is practically doable if the attacker uses advenced solid   
   -fueled rockets.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)