John Storm and Dan Hawk at the helm of the Elizabeth Swann, under missile attack from the CIA. If there ruse to re-direct the missile to Guantánamo Bay had not worked. They could have shot the offending weapon down, using Excalibur. Merlin was on standby, just in case.

The Elizabeth Swann has an inbuilt 'Taser' based, high-voltage, anti-piracy stun and shock system, to dissuade and prevent unauthorized boarding of the vessel. Whether manned or docked and locked. The system can render persistent uninvited guests unconscious. The system doubles as an alarm system, to prevent break ins. A great guard-dog, that automatically reports attempted entry to Interpol, and friendly local authorities.

The other weapon that is useful to prevent antagonists from capturing or damaging the Swann, is a discrete ultra-short pulsed Laser Cannon system, mounted fore and aft of the vessel. The targeting and tracking system that controls both laser and taser systems is named: 'Merlin.'

George Franks named the weapons system aboard the Elizabeth Swann, 'Merlin.' Also naming the laser cannon: 'Excalibur.' and the anti-pirate tazer: 'Pendragon.' George considers John to be a modern Knight, because of his strict code of honour and impeccable manners, even when battling evil. And also, because he always tries to do the right thing, no matter how difficult the challenge.

George believes that he, himself, is somehow related to King Arthur, although just a legend. George has a Round Table in his office and a collection of medieval suits of armour, that is sometimes the brunt of jokes at his expense. But this does not bother him.

The laser system, Excalibur, is capable of sinking small ships, by burning a series of small holes in their hulls. Small boats stand little chance. While, pirates carrying firearms, can have their gun barrels melt at strategic locations, rendering them useless.

If pirates or unwelcome officials try and board the Swann, they will be mildly electrocuted, with up to 40,000 volts of electricity. Firstly, pirates are warned not to come near the hydrogen powered ship. If an aggressive pattern of approach is recognised, Excalibur might fire a warning shot at a radio mast, radar or some other piece of equipment. If this is ignored, and they persist. Weapons are targeted, then the hull of their vessel.

Finally, if the potential boarders get close enough to throw grappling hooks, then try to climb aboard, they are tasered. The charge being ramped up, along with verbal warnings being issued, until the pirates desist, or are rendered unconscious. In addition, green laser may be used, to temporarily blind the assailants. Green light lasers are positioned at strategic locations about the ship.

Once blinded and knocked out, the antagonists may be restrained with hand and foot cuffs, and blindfolded, to await arrest at the next friendly port. While moored up the Amazon river, NeuWelt Rittertum (New World Knighthood) operatives were immobilized, as they tried to commandeer the Swann. 

The US Army were developing a similar system through 2021 into 2022, though much larger. Fired at a drone or missile, the EMP blast destroys the guidance and other control systems of the target, typically rendering the enemy weapons useless.

The Tactical Ultrashort Pulsed Laser (UPSL) platform will be different from the current laser systems, as it will emit short pulses that rely on low energy. In contrast, current lasers typically emit continuous beams.

The new system is being designed to reach a terawatt for a short 200 femtoseconds — or one quadrillionth of a second. In that time, the UPSL would be able to vaporize a drone. On top of that, the hope is that it'll also be able to disrupt electronic systems in its vicinity, turning it also into a functional electromagnetic pulse (EMP).

The concept note of the system states that the USPL will neutralize threats in three distinct ways, unlike current systems which destroy targets with a beam of focused energy.

The new system will be capable of scorching the target; blinding the target system’s sensors “through broadband supercontinuum generation in the air, and the generation of a localized electronic interference used to overload a threat’s internal electronics,” as stated in the brief.

The new system will emit a terawatt (equivalent to a million megawatt) of energy in a brief burst of 200 femtoseconds (one quadrillionth of a second), compared to the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance, or HELIOS, that features a laser of around 60 kilowatts (one megawatt is equivalent to 1,000 kilowatts) of power.

Unlike current systems which diffract energy, the intensity of the USPL causes a “non-linear effect in air resulting in a self-focusing filament.”

These filaments of energy don’t diffract or disperse, making them far more lethal than those emitted by present laser systems.

Developers have been trying to build “femtosecond lasers” for the last two decades but have faced hurdles in logistics and infrastructure, the solicitation brief added.

However, continuous-wave laser developers have made their systems much more durable thanks to the emergence of diode and fiber laser technology, allowing them to be integrated onto ground and sea platforms.

THE HOLY COMPASS - CAST