Pimp your gunship with laser & microwave firep

vaporland writes: "The AC-130U Spectre is a byword for high-precision fire support. But equipping it with directed energy weapons (DE) will take close air support to an entirely new level. The technological breakthrough needed to get there is a radical $22m superconducting generator which the Air Force will demonstrate by 2009 and which is specifically indended to fit on a C-130.

Driven by a turbine, the new generator is about the size of a small beer keg, and is designed to generate five megawatts. Power sytems based on existing generators weigh over 20,000 lbs, the new system should cut that in half. It will also pave the way for further improvements and even smaller and more powerful generators.

http://neverknwo.blogspot.com/2006/11/pimp-my-guns hip-2-directed-energy-ac.html
http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_rele ases.mhtml?d=107455
http://www.fas.org/spp/military/docops/defense/dta p/weapons/ch100309.htm"