chinese laser weapon development

siegecrossbow said:

The weapon demonstrator was a pulsed solid state laser that penetrated a 3mm thick sheet of still at 30 minutes with three shots (almost instantaneously).

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30 metres, not minutes. Scared me for a moment; thought China was still at 1950s level in laser tech.

Iron Man said:

That sounds ominous. Are you implying that the US and Russia are NOT a threat to "all spacefaring nations"?

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Of course I'm not implying US and Russia aren't threats to other spacefaring nations. They are indeed threats to all other spacefaring nations and NGOs, because all nations and non-state actors with anti-satellite capabilities are threats to other spacefaring naitons and groups.

My original post on this topic was a direct response to Siegecrossbow's question in post #333 on one specific Chinese anti-sat event, and nothing else. Some posters then expanded the discussion for their own purposes.

plawolf said:

Having the capability to do something does not automatically make you a threat.

People owning a legal firearm does not automatically make them a threat to everyone else within shooting distance.

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If the threat level is above zero, then the answer is self-evident. I don't think rational people could make the opposite argument. If you want to make the argument China's anti-satellite threats to other spacefaring nations/groups is very low, then you are on firmer grounds. The same reasoning goes for legally-owned firearms too.

Blackstone said:

Of course I'm not implying US and Russia aren't threats to other spacefaring nations. They are indeed threats to all other spacefaring nations and NGOs, because all nations and non-state actors with anti-satellite capabilities are threats to other spacefaring naitons and groups.

My original post on this topic was a direct response to Siegecrossbow's question in post #333 on one specific Chinese anti-sat event, and nothing else. Some posters then expanded the discussion for their own purposes.

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I have yet to read you opine that because the US has the most powerful navy, it is a threat to other sea-faring nation; or because the USAF has the most powerful airforce, it is a threat to other air travelers. Or how about the US is a threat to the world's citizen since it has the most powerful offensive weapons.

But when China purportedly tested a laser, here you go, freaking out. smh. Your implications are clear.

t2contra said:

I have yet to read you opine that because the US has the most powerful navy, it is a threat to other sea-faring nation; or because the USAF has the most powerful airforce, it is a threat to other air travelers. Or how about the US is a threat to the world's citizen since it has the most powerful offensive weapons.

But when China purportedly tested a laser, here you go, freaking out. smh. Your implications are clear.

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You think that because you see what you want to see, and not how it really is. I've made plenty of critical posts on US military's and other US agencies' actions in Asia and around the world. Of course the US military is a threat to all other nations on the planet. It has more offensive power than any other military force in the world. So, of course! So is every other countries' offensive forces, and their threat levels are functions of their abilities and comprehensive national power.

Your problem is you read something you didn't like and kneejerked over a true and relatively benign statement.

Blackstone said:

Your problem is you read something you didn't like and kneejerked over a true and relatively benign statement.

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It was you who knee jerked over the test. It was only a test against a solitary target. It was neither random nor indiscriminate. No innocent target was harmed.

And the term you used, 'threat to all space-faring nations' does not buttress your claim to have made plenty of critical posts on US military's and other US agencies' actions in Asia and around the world.

Can you see your problem now?

t2contra said:

It was you who knee jerked over the test. It was only a test against a solitary target. It was neither random nor indiscriminate. No innocent target was harmed.

And the term you used, 'threat to all space-faring nations' does not buttress your claim to have made plenty of critical posts on US military's and other US agencies' actions in Asia and around the world.

Can you see your problem now?

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What I see is someone arguing just to argue. I standby my statement China's laser anti-satellite program is a thread to all other spacfaring nations, as are its other deployed anti-sat programs. If you have evidence to prove me wrong, then present them. So far, I haven't seen any.

Blackstone said:

What I see is someone arguing just to argue. I standby my statement China's laser anti-satellite program is a thread to all other spacfaring nations, as are its other deployed anti-sat programs. If you have evidence to prove me wrong, then present them. So far, I haven't seen any.

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Whoa!

Can you prove that all weapons are not a threat in times of war?

So far, I have not seen you provide any evidence that the superpower has only peaceful purpose in space or anything about the X-37B.

I have not seen you provided any reason why China cannot use its anti-satellite weapons for self-defense or that it would attack other innocent spacefaring nations not party to its conflict.

t2contra said:

Whoa!

Can you prove that all weapons are not a threat in times of war?

So far, I have not seen you provide any evidence that the superpower has only peaceful purpose in space or anything about the X-37B.

I have not seen you provided any reason why China cannot use its anti-satellite weapons for self-defense or that it would attack other innocent spacefaring nations not party to its conflict.

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What you said is immaterial to our original argument on my claim China's reported anti-satellite demonstration with a 50-100MW laser means it's a threat to all other spacefaring nations. I don't see how any rational person could disagree with that simple statement, because the possibility of threat isn't zero, especially in light you can't predict future Chinese intentions, regardless of current or past behavior.

Blackstone said:

What you said is immaterial to our original argument on my claim China's reported anti-satellite demonstration with a 50-100MW laser means it's a threat to all other spacefaring nations.

I don't see how any rational person could disagree with that simple statement, because the possibility of threat isn't zero, especially in light you can't predict future Chinese intentions, regardless of current or past behavior.

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It is not so simple. Because when I juxtapose your constant criticism of China and your espousal of pax Americana, your claim that the test is a threat to all spacefaring nations further tarnishes China unfairly.

And you fail to see and put the test in the right perspective. You need to include the bigger picture. What China is doing to space is no different from what the US has been doing.

If you think China's future intentions can't be predicted, why do you say it is a threat? If having a laser destroying satellite is a threat to all spacefaring nations, then do you agree that the US has been a bigger threat as well in the bigger picture?

If you think history has no bearing on the future, why are nations judging one another on history?