I assume the damage mechanism for a laser-based weapon is heat?

Here is what I assume:
A laser is a concentrated high energy beam of light. So that energy gets transferred into heat when the laser makes contact, right? In this case, the laser makes contact with a missile. The temperature of the contact point of the missile's shell will rise above it's temperature limit, causing failure. The laser will now overheat the internals, which will cause a premature detonation.

Is that correct?

In response to this post by MAHokie69

Posted: 08/30/2021 at 09:11AM

Five rockets were fired early Monday at the Kabul airport and intercepted -- Coach McGuirk 08/30/2021 08:16AM

Ok. Sea Ram is the rolling airframe missile mounted under the CIWS gun -- ColoVT82 08/30/2021 09:46AM

Exactly. Different weapon systems engage targets at different distances -- EDGEMAN 08/30/2021 09:57AM

Yep. Wall of lead/uranium. Effective, ...stuff can skip off the surface.. ** -- ColoVT82 08/30/2021 10:29AM

Agreed. Unfortunately, there were civilian casualties ... -- Full-Set and Moonshine 08/30/2021 09:36AM

While that is awesome, I assume we have something similar to Iron Dome the -- soldcokesatLane 08/30/2021 09:21AM

Similar? Yep. And other stuff. Israel Arrow is a solid system too ** -- ColoVT82 08/30/2021 09:50AM

USN ships have had CIWS since the early 80s -- EDGEMAN 08/30/2021 09:11AM

Would guess we've worked with the Israelis for rocket interception -- EDGEMAN 08/30/2021 08:59AM

Yep. Their need for missile/projectile defense is not hypothetical... ** -- ColoVT82 08/30/2021 10:30AM

There's a laser-based variant on the way too ** -- MAHokie69 08/30/2021 08:28AM

We're finally gonna use sharks? ** -- Burke Hokie 08/30/2021 09:40AM

I assume the damage mechanism for a laser-based weapon is heat? -- BigJake20 08/30/2021 09:11AM

Yes, the energy converts to heat on contact -- MAHokie69 08/30/2021 10:26AM

A cool video about it here -- MR2 Hokies 08/30/2021 08:22AM

Where do all those fired bullets land ?Not all hit the target. ** -- ronvpi 08/30/2021 08:57AM

Bullets go downrange... ** -- ColoVT82 08/30/2021 10:31AM

From watching the video it looks like they may explode after being airborne -- BTHokie 08/30/2021 09:31AM

Mine end up in my neighbor’s pasture. 🤪 ** -- B777Fr8Dog 08/30/2021 09:07AM

Very cool, indeed. I guess that is what I saw in "Under Seige". -- Coach McGuirk 08/30/2021 08:34AM

I assume the damage mechanism for a laser-based weapon is heat?

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