Israel to test Iron Beam laser system on Hamas missiles
calcalistech.com
calcalistech.com
[1] We might see what's called "the return of scale", since more defense requires more lasers, more lasers means more power, more power means more nukes, and more reactor power means bigger bigger bigger. It could bring the concept of the "arsenal ship" back from the dead.
[1] Inconsistent magic, at that. The greatest concentration of energy for a light saber in the films is Queer God Gym penetrating approximately 1m thickness of, let's say iron, at a rate somewhere around a meter a minute. If the cutting element is indeed using temperature to do this, it's flash-broiling everything in a sixty meter radius. On the other hand, you have the piss-poor penetration of Kylo's original red saber, which doesn't penetrate more than a few inches into wood or flesh. Screw it. Lightsabers are fun.
Note from the world of Star Wars gamemastering in old fashioned simulationism: most trauma from DEWS interaction with human or organic target is still kinetic, because penetration of even an inch or two immediately creates a pretty intense steam explosion. A "plasma bolt" that instantaneously burned through into the thoracic cavity would be messier than force feeding the target a hand grenade. More like a stick of dynamite. "Clean" laser weapons of science fiction would not be the reality; lasers powerful enough to cut off arms would be making meaty explosions. This sounds like a super duper efficient way to trauma, but it's still magic. That's a TON of energy - throwing an equivalent ball of explosive is easier and doesn't waste 90% of the emitter power on heating up air.
Weapons manufacturers are the scum of the earth, etc. this much is true. But there's still much to divine in what rhetorics American and Israeli manufacturers use to sell the killing of people.