Re:The best defense is...? (Score 1)

I'm seeing this... It could replace AC-130s, etc, especially if it could sustain a military laser. Even though fuel for a chem. might be a problem, there's also a chance it could support a solar panel array on the top. Even an anti personnel laser could be handy, if the range was there. Very effective as a low level satellite, and, as you mentioned, as a wide area guard system. A resupply system would need to be developed (maybe a helo landing pad on top, too? Or just a "drop pad" where heavy lift helos could dump pallets). But, with electricity from solar, water from the atmosphere (possible?) and steam heat even (water from atmospere + solar water heating possibly?), this is starting to seem like a fairly useful platform, in applications like military deployment in civilian areas (Eye in the Sky? I need the green car ahead of me lasered- they're not coming out for the checkpoint. Just heat them to about 150F so we can get them out).