Debate on APS directed-energy weapons study

In April, The American Physical Society issued a 424‐page report saying that “even in the best of circumstances, a decade or more of intensive research would be required to provide the technical knowledge needed for an informed decision about the potential effectiveness and survivability of directed‐energy weapon systems.” (See PHYSICS TODAY, May 1987, page S1.) In May, Los Alamos National Laboratory published a 70‐page paper by Gregory Canavan that is optimistic about a directed‐energy weapons system and critical of the APS study. (See PHYSICS TODAY, June, page 43.) In this debate Canavan criticizes the APS study on ten technical issues, and Nicolaas Bloembergen and Kumar Patel, the cochairmen of the APS study group, respond point by point.