Russia vs. America: Are Laser Weapons the Key to Victory? (Leonid Nersisyan, The National Interest)

In almost every film speculating about the future, we see a familiar scene: enemies firing at each other using various laser and beam weapons. Is there a prospect for the development of real models of such weapons? What can be achieved in this sphere, given existing technology? At what level is the development of various means of laser destruction, including air and missile defense systems (ADS and MDS)? And the main question: which trendsetter in the world of weapons is ahead—the United States or Russia?

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/russia-vs-america-are-laser-weapons-the-key-victory-17115