Others are sure that laser weapons will not work. It reportedly found little hope that a system that can mold laser beams to compensate for atmospheric disturbances will ever be developed. Critics also say potential foes could develop counter-measures against laser weapons. These include missile coatings that can reflect or absorb light energy, or rockets that spin, dissipating a laser's heat. Another serious problem will be protecting the huge 747s from attacks while they linger over enemy territory close enough to launch sites for their lasers to be effective.
Scientists say the problems can be solved.
Coping with atmospheric disturbances, for instance, should be overcome by refining targeting systems that use flexible mirrors that in tenths of a second can adjust the shapes of laser beams, they say. Such systems are now being incorporated in large astronomical telescopes. Critics contend that even if the technical hurdles are surmounted, the use of laser weapons by the US holds profound political implications. Other states could begin to develop lasers for use against American satellites, setting off a new arms race, they say. Global disarmament efforts might also stall as Russia or others maintained missile forces large enough to overwhelm US systems.