First Step Toward the Death Star

Finally, it appears that directed-energy (read laser) weapons are making it into the USA arsenal. This article mentions two: a jumbo-jet carried lazer for knocking missiles out of the sky and a microwave weapon designed for crowd control.

I have read about both of these in the past, other places, but this article does a good job of consolidating info. There is still a lot of controversy surrounding these weapons - especially the microwave weapon since it could be used as a mass torture device - but it is important to further our understanding of such devices... because if we don't, someone else will beat us to it and we'll not know the proper countermeasures.