James, in a post I wrote in the thread
GM RESOURCES - links to make GMing easier and better I included an attachment containing a submission by Stavatti Corporation in response to the Light Fighter Lethality After Next-Statement of Objectives. The submission describes the (as of 1999) theoretical
TIS-1 (Tactical Infantry System-1) Gasdynamic Laser Weapon System, basically a man portable laser rifle.
The document makes for interesting reading. It seems that Stavatti Corp was confident it could source or fabricate all the required components except for the energy source, a Polonium-210 power cell.