This is the first time a laser has been deployed on a ship. The Navy wants to discover how well it can do under conditions at sea, and find out how it reacts to the heat, the dust, humidity, rain, etc.
Although the laser has enough power to knock out lighter targets such as drones and small boats, it is not strong enough to be used against larger ships. If the tests work well, it could start replacing other weapons onboard many ships.
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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/15/us-navy-laser-weapon-enters-service/
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Graphics: Mine
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Keywords: laser, Navy ship, USS Ponce, laser weapon, laws