The concept of lasers as a military weapon has been hovering on the research agenda since at least the days of the US Strategic Defence Initiative, more popularly known as the Star Wars program.
In their favour, lasers can theoretically be as strong, or as weak as necessary - enough to damage targets, or in the case of current "non-lethal" laser weaponry reportedly being looked at by the Pentagon, annoy you enough to stop whatever you're doing.
According to this report by New Scientist, the US Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate is working on a "pulsed laser" designed to produce a light bright enough that New Scientist describes as "dazzling but harmless".
Interestingly, there are already laser devices in use by the military to stop potential suicide bombers. The initial idea was to damage the windscreen so that drivers couldn't see through it - something that has now been abandoned in favour of a more high-tech approach that involves producing a "bright white flash".
According to this paper:
"Initial test results indicate that it may be possible to create the white flash without causing permanent damage to the windshield. Efforts are now focusing on identifying the laser parameters that can create this flash while minimizing damage to the windshield."
Despite the "safe" aspect of this laser technology, the future for laser weaponry is in reality far from non-lethal.
This year a laser weapon capable of piercing armour plating was tested. Developed by Raytheon, the Laser Centurion Demonstrator is reportedly being built to replace 20mm cannons used in air and missile defence systems.
In June this year an "advanced tactical laser" was "fired" in flght from a plane, hitting a target. The weapon is being designed to be attached to the AC-130 gunship.