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This particular research is literally built off of weapons research (National Ignition Facility).

Yes but, as far as I know, research into achieving laser induced fusion hasn't itself run into many classification hurdles. I suspect that may not be the case with the scaling phase.

It is interesting that there hasn't been many classification hurdles on something that is pretty explicitly weapons research. My guess is that they achieved high Q values a long time ago in classified research using mechanisms that would give away some secrets.

I think it's mainly because using a laser the size of a football stadium was never seen as a practical way to make a bomb.

Well, its not so much in making the bomb, but the particular ways of focusing the X-Rays and particular efficiencies in creating the tamper for the most velocity and thus most compression in the secondary.

The key thing here is the Lasers aren't doing the immediate compression, the lasers are simulating X-Ray radiation which then is ablating the casing around the tritium. Figuring out how to create and amplify a x-ray pulse was a major sticking point in the Star Wars program.

It's intended to confirm computer simulations. It doesn't have to be viable for the end article.

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