The operating prototype of A-60

The operating prototype of A-60 laser system was relocated from Sary-Shagan to the territory of Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Reportedly, the system was used in "Falcon Echelon" military program. Other laser programs of the USSR were known as "Terra" and "Omega." In the Soviet Union, high power laser pointer guns were used in the space industry. Beam rifles were in stock at least until 1995. - See more at:

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Recalling the best-known Soviet laser projects, the journalist recalled that they included a high power laser pointer cannon mounted onboard the Dikson search and rescue vessel, the Terra-3 program, tested at the Sary-Shagan testing ground in the Kazakh SSR, the Skif spacecraft, capable of carrying a laser weapon, an air-based laser, mounted on board the Beriev A-60 airborne laser laboratory, and perhaps most famously, the 1K17 Szhatie mobile ground-based laser system (codenamed Stiletto by Western intelligence services).

The anthrax scares in New York and Florida a few years ago underscored the need for rapid detection of biological weapons. Scientists have developed a new Laser Sight technique that could detect anthrax in real time. See how anthrax lasers and biohazard technology work in this video from ScienCentral.

Researchers at Intel and the University of California, Santa Barbara demonstrated the world's first electrically driven hybrid silicon laser, addressing one of the last hurdles to producing low-cost, highly integrated silicon photonic chips for use inside and around PCs, servers and data centers.

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"This system employs multi-spectral target detection and track capabilities as well as an advanced off-axis beam director with improved fiber laser sight technologies to provide extended target engagement ranges. Improvements of high power fiber lasers used to form the laser beam enable the increased power levels and extended range capabilities. Lessons learned, operating procedures, updated hardware and software derived from previous systems will be incorporated in this demonstration," Dr. Tom Beutner, director of the Air Warfare and Weapons branch, Office of Naval Research, told Scout Warrior in a written statement.