LASERS
LASERS.Laser is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. External energy pumped into the atoms of the lasing medium excites electrons to higher energy states; returning to their base state, they emit photons. Cascading photons produce a narrow, tightly focused beam of intense, coherent, monochromatic light.
The special properties of laser beams—intensity, coherence, directionality—held obvious promise for military purposes. Beginning promptly with the 1961 invention, mission‐oriented laser research and development centered on such practical applications as range finding and guidance.
Operational range finders began seeing field service during the Vietnam War by the mid‐1960s. Incorporated in fire control systems, they especially suited direct fire weapons like tank guns; such units for the M‐60 tank began service in 1968....
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