Navy successfully demos a ship-mounted High Energy Laser (HEL)

I was expecting spectacular explosions, a la Star Wars, so I was slightly disappointed by their absence.  Regardless, this is pretty cool technology!

 

This is the first successful use of the Navy's Marine Laser Demonstrator (MLD).  It's a ship-mounted High Energy Laser, developed by the Office of Naval Research in cooperation with Northrup Grumman, which was fired at an unmanned motor boat.  More info is here.