How Laser Guns Work

Real life military lasers, such as this Humvee mounted model share a common characteristic. They work by igniting something, be it an IED, unexploded ordinance, an aircraft's fuel tank or a missle en route to its target, that is already inherently explosive.

The modern laser is essentially a long range match, a concept whose military pedigree dates back to the efforts of the Greeks to use focused light to ignite the Roman's flammable ships, ca. 241 BCE.