The Defense Department is moving to lay the industrial groundwork necessary to mass produce high-energy lasers across the force -- on ground vehicles, ships and aircraft -- by shoring up weaknesses in manufacturing capacity of critical components needed to scale production of these powerful speed-of-light weapons. On Feb. 10, the Pentagon asked industry for information about existing fabrication capabilities for three technologies needed for combat lasers -- highly reflective optical coatings; composite housing for beam expanding telescopes; and fast steering...
