Scientific American had an article on the viability of Regan's "Star Wars" weapons program back in the 70's. Seems the current US Brass are not good students of science history. It is very cheap and easy to deploy countermeasures against laser and energy weapons. A mirrored surface absorbs very little laser light (duh). Chaff (read aluminium foil) disrupts energy weapons. The more things change, the more they stay the same.....