Some of the most powerful weapons ever developed by the United States were designed to dominate the battlefield, but in doing so they came dangerously close to exceeding the limits of practical use.

Editor's note: This story originally appeared on Laser Wars, a newsletter about military laser weapons and other futuristic defense technology. Subscribe here. The U.S. Navy spent at least six months ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. The U.S. Navy spent at least six months resurrecting a high-energy laser weapon that previously graced the bow of a warship for a ...

The Amphibious transport dock USS Portland with a mounted Laser Weapons System Demonstrator Mk 2 Mod 0, center, in 2021. (Lance Cpl. Patrick Katz/U.S. Marine Corps) Editor’s note: This story ...