Re: Hmm
However, why aim for the engine when it would be so much easier to put the hole through the driver or the radiator or the fuel tank?
Indeed, why not go with the other illustration and put it in space? This is a prototype, a proof of concept. The Lockheed Martin people say that they are working on a vehicle-mounted version. If they can achieve that, it seems plausible that orbital laser platforms will be a thing of the near future.
As for battlefield uses, sure, melting a moving car's bits is pretty cool, but you can do far more damage to the drivers in less time. Perhaps you could target its tires or treads and get the job done faster. However, not all military targets are things that move. I imagine that setting fire to an adversary's camp or the flammable materials being used for cover might prove demoralizing. Back to the possibility of an orbital platform for a moment, this would allow attacks to pretty much any supporting infrastructure that isn't buried underground or wearing a mirrored coating.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
