EARTH'S atmosphere can now be turned into a massive spy lens using cutting edge technology.

BAE Systems are designing a directed energy laser system that could allow military commanders to spy on enemy activities from space.

4 BAE systems has created the laser system

BAE believe that within 50 years, one of their aircraft could use an "atmospheric lens" to observe people from very long distances using the Earth's atmosphere as a tool.

The lasers temporarily change the Earth's atmosphere into magnifying glass structures which can alter light and radio signals.

This means users can listen into radio signals for thousands of miles.

A spokesperson said: "Within the next 50 years, scientists at BAE Systems believe that battlefield commanders could deploy a new type of directed energy laser and lens system, called a Laser Developed Atmospheric Lens which is capable of enhancing commanders’ ability to observe adversaries’ activities over much greater distances than existing sensors."

"Working with some of the best scientific minds in the UK, we’re able to incorporate emerging and disruptive technologies and evolve the landscape of potential military technologies in ways that, five or ten years ago, many would never have dreamed possible," added Professor Nick Colosimo, BAE Systems’ Futurist and Technologist.

4 High powered pulsed lasers will create a lens by manipulating the Earth's atmosphere, scientists at BAE claim Credit: BAE

4 Battlefield commanders could spy on foes using a laser streamed from space

4 A high pulsed power laser system will temporarily heat a small region of atmosphere so it will mimic the ionosphere - which bounces radio signals

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Laser technology is hotting up, with Britain unleashing a Star Wars’ style laser cannon dubbed Dragonfire.

The concept mimics the ionosphere, a naturally occurring layer of the Earth's atmosphere which can be reflective to radio waves.

The radio signals bounce off the ionosphere allowing them to travel very long distances through the air and over the Earth's surface, picking up every radio signal in its wake.

BAE Systems claimed the lens could also be used as a form of "deflector shield" too.

The Laser Developed Atmospheric Lens (LDAL) concept was developed by technologists at the Company’s military aircraft facility in Warton, Lancashire.

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