It also makes sense as a covert weapon - you could theoretically dazzle the pilot of a plane as they are taking off / landing and unless you were in direct line of sight of the laser, there would be no residual evidence of it's use.
Indeed, Tom Clancy dicusses the use of a similar weapon in his book "Debt of Honor" when it is used to down a Japanese AWACS plane covertly.
It could also be used to deflect a plane on a suicide mission....
