The star wars light sabers may require handheld fighting but for those of us who prefer to pick on our enemies from a safe distance, the weapons of choice would have been what the droids were issued with. In real life, troops are often under fire from missiles which can travel hundreds of miles yet fall with pinpoint accuracy. There are no known missile shields (portable) at the moment which could provide an effective defence against enemies.

After taking inspiration from Star Wars, researchers have come up with the LADS system which will utilise the phalanx system and literally shoot incoming missiles and mortars out of the sky using a laser beam. The American defence firm Raytheon has turned a laser used in the car manufacturing industry into a weapon that can hit incoming rounds at the speed of light, melting the outer casing and detonating the explosive inside.

While still being tested, the LADS system has the advantages of being able to operate infinitely since it requires no physical ammunition just a source of power. Its also light weight as a result and can be equipped onto passenger planes which ferry passengers in regions with known terrorist threats.

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