Fire phasers, Mr. Sulu!

U.S. may deploy anti-missile lasers on fighters as soon as 2007[*1] .

“We’ve combined the high energy density of the solid state laser with the thermal management of the liquid laser,” New Scientist quoted project manager Don Woodbury as saying.

Doug at Below The Beltway goes for the Star Wars metaphor[*2] instead. I suppose a Babylon 5 or Battlestar Galactica reference would be in order as well.