The future of Small Arms and the reliability of New Technology

[(E)]

There maybe specific roles that non traditional weapons begin to fill. Sniping lasers, defensive microwave and laser weapons that are powered by a generator which doesn't have to be near the weapon itself, railguns in an antimaterial role etc.
Edit
Electromagnetic mortars maybe.

[lwcamp]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

In the second example, it is a vehicular laser, so it can function at better efficiencies because it is larger than what can be used by a human in personal combat (laser diodes are highly efficient, but spectrum beam combining requires too much space for a personal weapon).

This statement makes no sense. It is a vehicular laser, because we can't currently get lasers small enough for a person to carry one suitable for a weapon around. The problem isn't spectral beam combining, the problem is the whole laser package. Regardless, a fiber laser can run from 30% to 50% efficient, whether a single 1 kW fiber coil or a whole bunch of beam-combined coils. It doesn't matter what size or power level, you still get 30% to 50% efficiency.

Luke