It's been a long time coming, but finally we have some lasers that can do a bit of real damage.
In a demonstration on Thursday, the aerospace, security and advanced technology manufacturer Lockheed Martin gave people a look at the power of their latest laser-based weapon, which was able to destroy the engine of a small truck "in a matter of seconds from over a mile away", according to a post on their Facebook page. The effects of the laser can be seen in the main image above, which look Terminator-esque.
While we would have suggested the name "death ray", they instead opted for ATHENA, an acronym for Advanced Test High Energy Asset. Ours is cooler for sure, but they built the thing so they get to name it what they want, apparently.
They claim that the demonstration shows the progression and development of laser-based weapon systems, and that they are on the way to being used to help with military operations and counter-terrorism missions.
Via Mashable
