This is a hypothetical for a grid down game of Minecraft, or for the individual going into harms way for as sanctioned by the US.
A point to ponder, more than anything else of significance, in a near peer battle the emittance of a laser has been identified as a strong target indicator. This was never an issue in the GWOT, or at least not that I was made aware of in the early parts when I was there. Due to the enemies being fought were not as technologically equipped as us.
I know that the cartels and smuggling organizations working in Mexico were vastly more capable and they were often much better equipped than we were in the Border Patrol. In both the military and the Patrol we used infrared lasers in conjunction with night vision googles to signal. In the Border Patrol we limited the use, as fewer people had night vision and everyone was very familiar with their area.
I do know that if I have an infrared aiming laser on my rifle and the bad guy also has a night vision device he can see it and thereby me. Early reports back from the Ukraine War pointed out that they would turn on their night vision as the sun was going down. Only to see the infrared lasers on people’s rifles that had accidentally been turned on and signaling to the whole world their location.
The army’s new rifle has a built in laser range finder, to assist with maximizing its capabilities. I have heard though that they may have to disable its use depending on the theater it will be used in. If that is true then this tool will really be hampered against the most technologically capable enemies of this country.
I currently don’t have nor have any plan to get anything for my rifle but I have a laser range finder (LRF) I use. So as I pondered, will this lose its application on a modern battlefield? It seems as though I could. I wouldn’t want to go to Ukraine and start LRFing a Russian position. Will that be a factor here in the USA in Minecraft’s CWII or WWIII? I don’t know, but someday the tech will be affordable enough that the bad guys will have them.
I would say a study of Ukraine has shown that a technology advantage you previously thought you had can become a liability quickly.
The technology to discover any laser is still expensive and currently only fielded by major governments by it does exist. As we are moving into more automated conflicts, it only makes sense these detection methods will become more readily available.
As boring as it may seem, practice using hard skills in case your technology ever is gone. Especially as the we continue to march towards war.
Stay safe out there.
-Joseph
Outpost 95 