Topic: Laser Weapons

A malfunction with a new Platypus 1911 handgun is attributed to "weak-wristing" or a stiff spring. The conversation shifts to "LOCUST," a 20-kilowatt directed energy weapon used to shoot down balloons. The hosts debate the definition of a directed energy weapon, with one arguing that a laser is simply a light beam rather than an "invisible wave."

Reports from "Sir Brian of London" suggest that Israel has begun utilizing the "Iron Beam," a directed-energy laser weapon, to intercept incoming projectiles. The hosts discuss the transition from the traditional Iron Dome missile system to laser-based defense technology. They also question the authenticity of certain viral clips showing missile trajectories.

DARPA announced the "POWER" program, which aims to create a wireless energy transfer infrastructure using high-energy lasers to power military bases. While presented as a logistics solution, critics view it as a potential directed energy weapon. The hosts also discuss sightings of "Starlink trains" in the night sky, questioning the low altitude and visibility of the satellite constellations.

The hosts discuss the military's development of directed energy weapons and lasers, citing a report from the Office of Naval Research. They mock the clinical language used to describe "killing people" and "bang for the buck." A claim is made that these experimental devices are being sent to Israel for field testing.

House Resolution 4310, the NDAA for 2013, authorizes significant funding for advanced weaponry, including a new missile defense site on the East Coast. The bill mandates reports on directed energy weapons, such as high-energy lasers and millimeter-wave technologies. Specific provisions designate the Navy and Air Force as lead services for integrating 100-kilowatt lasers and microwave weapons onto surface ships and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The U.S. Air Force successfully used a high-powered laser mounted on a modified Boeing 747 to shoot down a ballistic missile in flight. The hosts remind the audience that they predicted the deployment of directed energy weapons over a year ago. They discuss the potential for these "ray guns" to be used for both lethal and non-lethal crowd control.