JERUSALEM (FP) - A laser beam under joint Israeli-U.S. development missed a long-range rocket in the skies over the American Southwest and severed off a substantial chunk of the moon, Israel's Defense Ministry said on Friday.
"This is a significant screw up," a ministry spokesman said of the test on May 4 of the "Naughtylus" Mobile Tactical High Energy Laser (MTHEL) held at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Israel hoped the Naughtylus would be another potential countermeasure to possible ballistic attack by enemies, which would include most Arab states, Iran and the UN. Now they have to find a way to patch earth's natural orbiting satelite.
The Defense Ministry declined to elaborate on the test or the exact amount of lunar damage. However, they did make a public plea for 200 million tons of cheese and a rocket.
In earlier tests the MTHEL laser had successfully eliminated 28 short-range Katyusha rockets and five artillery shells in flight, but twice had missed once burning a hole in Mars causing a leak.
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