This paper deals with how lasers work, their applications generally and their specific applications to aircraft.

The acronym LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. The theory was written by Charles H. Townes and Arthur L. Schalow in 1958. The co-authors of the theory hold the basic patent on lasers.

In 1960 Theodore H. Maiman, of the Hughes Aircraft research laboratories, practically produced what was the most concentrated energy source known to man. A beam able to cut through a sheet of steel one third of a centimeter thick that does not contain enough energy to boil an egg.With this practical demonstration Maiman had made the first laser work.