Delta4Embassy
Gold Member
Railguns and lasers right around the corner.
Lasers don't make good 'kill weapons.' They're great for targetting and ranging, not so hot (heh) for destroying or killing. It's basically just a very hot very small point of light that takes time to burn through.
Weapons system I'd think is under development is something that can be used where the enemy doesn't even know they're under attack. Natural disasters often come to mind. If you can cause an earthquake or hurricane or other massive natural calamity, your enemy will be effected but not even realize they're under attack.
Climate change too comes to mind. If when we realized the gunk we pump into the air is having a global effect, rather than stopping it, we might have figured melting the polar ice caps, raising the sea levels, and changing weather patterns makes a pretty good global-effect weapon where no one even knows it's happening by design.
If you melt the polar ice caps, the 60% global population living near oceans will be flooded further inland. Bring lots of people together and the result is crime and strife. They kill each other for you. And all without even knowing they were attacked. A massive reduction in the global population benefits those who'd make it happen. Fewer people are easier to control.
Sci-fi and paranoia? Sure. But strategically sound. So much so I haven't ruled it out.