Editing Laser guidance (section)

== Military use ==
{{main|Precision-guided munition#Laser-guided|Beam riding}}
Laser guidance is used by [[military]] to guide a [[missile]] or other projectile or vehicle to a target by means of a laser beam, either [[beam riding]] guidance or semi-active laser homing (SALH).<ref name=Glaros2012>
{{cite journal
|title=Spot Leading Target Laser Guidance for Engaging Moving Targets
|journal=U.S. Patent 8,237,095
|url=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=8237095.PN.&OS=PN/8237095&RS=PN/8237095 
}}</ref> With this technique, a laser is kept pointed at the target and the laser radiation bounces off the target and is scattered in all directions (this is known as "painting the target", or "laser painting"). The missile, bomb, etc. is launched or dropped somewhere near the target. When it is close enough for some of the reflected laser energy from the target to reach it, a laser seeker detects which direction this energy is coming from and adjusts the projectile trajectory towards the source. While the projectile is in the general area and the laser is kept aimed at the target, the projectile should be guided accurately to the target. [[Countermeasure]]s to laser guidance are [[Laser warning receiver|laser detection systems]], [[smoke screen]], and anti-laser active protection systems.