# How powerful is this new high tech laser weapon? Can it burn a hole through my car? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-powerful-is-this-new-high-tech-laser-weapon-can-it-burn-a-hole-through-my-car/210360 "2003-10-30T01:49:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-powerful-is-this-new-high-tech-laser-weapon-can-it-burn-a-hole-through-my-car/210360/1 "2003-10-30T01:49:39Z")
[Laser weapon project moves ahead Millions reportedly approved for U.S.-Israeli Nautilus project](http://www.msnbc.com/news/986232.asp?0dm=C17PT) ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-powerful-is-this-new-high-tech-laser-weapon-can-it-burn-a-hole-through-my-car/210360/2 "2003-10-30T01:53:13Z")
Why, don’t you like your car? ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-powerful-is-this-new-high-tech-laser-weapon-can-it-burn-a-hole-through-my-car/210360/3 "2003-10-30T01:57:53Z")
Well, I have a 1920’s style “Death Ray” that can burn your car. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-powerful-is-this-new-high-tech-laser-weapon-can-it-burn-a-hole-through-my-car/210360/4 "2003-10-30T02:01:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Danalan \* > \*\*Why, don’t you like your car? \*\* [Oh the car’s fine](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=152534&highlight=santa). I was just curious how powerful this thing is. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-powerful-is-this-new-high-tech-laser-weapon-can-it-burn-a-hole-through-my-car/210360/5 "2003-10-30T02:10:38Z")
Here is a thread that I started after the test was conducted: [link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=142970&highlight=laser). If it could destroy an artillary shell, I would imagine that it could do some serious damage to your car. It burning your car. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-powerful-is-this-new-high-tech-laser-weapon-can-it-burn-a-hole-through-my-car/210360/6 "2003-10-30T02:16:39Z")
Nautilis is the _old_ name for the Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL). [These pictures](http://www.defense-update.com/directory/THEL.htm) of what THEL can do to a Katyusha missile imply a bad outcome for your Denali’s paintjob. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-powerful-is-this-new-high-tech-laser-weapon-can-it-burn-a-hole-through-my-car/210360/7 "2003-10-30T02:20:15Z")
I’ll bet it would do a helluva number on your dog, too.