The COIL is composed of six interconnected modules, each as large as a sport utility vehicle turned on end. Each module weighs about 6,500 pounds and has 3,600 separate parts. When fired through a window in the aircraft’s nose turret, it produces enough energy in a 5-second burst to power a typical household for more than an hour.
I speculated about the COIL back in my July 2002
GUNS AND AMMO article,"Things to Come":
Calling it "America's laser of death," the UK's Daily Telegraph projects "the ability to vaporize enemy troops and vehicles Star Wars-style will take a few more years to develop."
Designed for deployment on AC-X "Son of Specter" aircraft gunships, we're told that "advances will be made and the power plant will shrink and one day it will dominate the battlefield." Hardly a small arm suitable for individual combatants? Just remember, not so long ago your pocket calculator would have filled a room, requiring programmers, technicians and keypunch operators...
And you can bet when that day comes, the following inscription will be prominently engraved on each unit:
"RESTRICTED FOR GOVERNMENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY"
[Via John Schaefer]
10 comments:
"RESTRICTED TO GOVERNMENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY"
Well, then, I guess we'll just have to capture what we need!
crotalus - That, and or employ an ancient and very effective friend -
FIRE.
The French and Russian resistance used Mr. Molotov with very good results. And the Germans were the most advanced and powerful military machine at the time. Yet they were utterly destroyed.
Napalm is very easily made and can be quite useful. Gasoline, syrup or soap, and maybe a little magnesium. And you have one hell of an effective fire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napalm
Americans have always been known as being very resourceful. As well as very tenacious in battle. Typically, tyrants haven't fared to well when we get agitated, especially when we are United....
"Preserve the spirit of resistence" as Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, Wshington and others used to say.
Oh yeah, forgot -
The planes have to land sometime, don't they?
That would be one hell of an aircraft - nearly 40,000 lbs of weapon in it's "nose turret."
Of course, I'm sure the reporterette got it wrong. Again.
Ah, yes, E. David. Excellent idea! I have often wondered if fire could be used in warfare, especially against tanks. Bathe one in fire, it should suffocate their engines, and cook anyone inside. (Hell of a way to go, but, as they say, all's fair in love and war!)
Powerful weapons such as these, and others such as nuclear weapons, is all the more reason why it is so important that government be subserviant to the people, as was intended when our nation was originally formed.
In fifty years, can I get one with my CR license?
If we do our jobs as Citizens of the Republic, in 50 years you won't need any license.
Back around 1998, talk.politics.guns had a thread on citizen resistance. Lots of good opinions, lots of bluster and discussion, a good time had by all and they're all probably on a watch list.
In a search for the thread, I came across this:
http://groups.google.com/group/talk.politics.guns/browse_thread/thread/c86a4ec84e07acf0/435a44b44bd7765d?lnk=gst&q=%22favorite+titty+bar%22+insubject%3Atanks+insubject%3Ain+insubject%3Acityscapes&rnum=1#435a44b44bd7765d
the relevant(IMHO)excerpt:
>The public doesn't have anything to defeat a M1a1 abrahms with
>reactive armor. You can try but you'll be dead long before you could
>hurt it.
Go right on believing that... and make sure you're driving the lead
vehicle.
Of course the M1s don't roll when the drivers get shot in the back of
the head when they go to the john in their favorite titty bar....
Stay safe
Lergnom
Knocking off tanks, M1A2 Abrams and others, is risky but relatively simple. First, cause enough infantry casualties that the tanks stop moving forward. Without infantry in support, tanks will not and cannot move. The attack helicopters will be deadly, but mass firing of common infantry weapons from suprise defilade positions will cause them to ground, at least for a while. After one or even two are shot down, the helos will give it up until they regroup. Witness something similiar in Iraq, during the early part of the ground war, when some Apocolypse Now wannabe in the Air Assault Brigade had a bunch of Cobras and Apaches zero in on what they thought was a good kill . They only lost one, but twenty were damaged, and it put the kibosh on further tries. Guess that Hollywood crap doesn't cut it in real life. Who'd a thunk it. Anyway, gettin' back to the hogs(tanks), the technique is, Blind, Halt, and Destroy. Use smoke if you got, but a brushfire will do. When they button up from small arms fire,(support element, take notice) halt them with abatis or ditches(tank traps). Imagine if you will, the demeanor of the tank occupants at this stage. If you can get a tank actually stuck, there's a chance you can capture it intact. Destroy by piling brush on it, or Molotovs, but I don't advise thickened fuel, it tends to slide off. Or dynamite if it's handy, or pour household bleach all over it, they won't be able to stand it inside. Also, let them know on the inside that if they surrender, they will live, and if not, they will cook or choke to death. Either way tanks are not all that difficult, and most of the time, their commanders will not let them go into cities or other built up areas without heavy infantry support. Ditto, hilly and swampy areas.
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