Airborne Laser Test Successful!

[Kyler]

One step closer to a real Deathstar!

"EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Feb. 12, 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency on Feb. 11 successfully demonstrated the speed, precision and breakthrough potential of directed-energy weapons when the Airborne Laser Testbed (ALTB) engaged and destroyed a boosting ballistic missile.

This experiment marks the first time a laser weapon has engaged and destroyed an in-flight ballistic missile, and the first time that any system has accomplished it in the missile's boost phase of flight. ALTB has the highest-energy laser ever fired from an aircraft, and is the most powerful mobile laser device in the world.

"The Airborne Laser Testbed team has made history with this experiment," said Greg Hyslop, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems. "Through its hard work and technical ingenuity, the government-industry team has produced a breakthrough with incredible potential. We look forward to conducting additional research and development to explore what this unique directed-energy system can do."

During the experiment, the aircraft, a modified Boeing 747-400F, took off from Edwards Air Force Base and focused its high-energy laser at the missile target during its boost phase as the aircraft flew over the Western Sea Range off the coast of California.

"We've been saying for some time that the Airborne Laser Testbed would be a pathfinder for directed energy and would expand options for policymakers and warfighters," said Michael Rinn, Boeing vice president and ALTB program director. "With this successful experiment, the Airborne Laser Testbed has blazed a path for a new generation of high-energy, ultra-precision weaponry. ALTB technology and future directed-energy platforms will transform how the United States defends itself and its friends and allies. Having the capability to precisely project force, in a measured way, at the speed of light, will save lives."

MDA officially recognized directed energy's warfare-changing potential last March, when it awarded its Technology Pioneer Award to three Boeing Airborne Laser Testbed engineers and three of their government and industry teammates for advancing key ALTB technologies.

Boeing is the prime contractor for the Airborne Laser Testbed, which is designed to provide unprecedented speed-of-light capability to intercept all classes of ballistic missiles in their boost phase of flight.

Northrop Grumman designed and built ALTB's high-energy laser, and Lockheed Martin developed the beam control/fire control system. Boeing provided the aircraft, the battle management system and overall systems integration and testing.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide."

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1075

[Kyler]

Here's a link to a infrared picture

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... arget.html

[Byron Angel]

On a related note, go here .....

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=607_1265984125


;-]

[Karl Heidenreich]

I would not relate this succesfull experiment with the Death Star... it' s childish. I would relate it to a a phaser disruptor bank on NCC-1701 Enterprise or a Klingon Bird of Prey.

[RF]

But that was still science fantasy. What we need to focus on now is science reality, and see where this technology gets us.

[Kyler]

You guys have no sense of humor!

[Kyler]

Looking beyond the sci-fi element, the successful test is a huge milestone in the development of directed energy weapons. Some people said it couldn't be done, the USAF & Boeing proved them wrong. The real question is how this technology as it matures will effect military operations around the world. Boeing has already tested successfully the Airborne Tactical Laser on a C-130. It used only one the COIL modules used on the ABL. It is still far off for such systems to be adapted to ships for long range use. This is due to the turbulent air closer to the surface of the earth interferes with the laser, descreasing its power and range. Until those technical hurdles can be overcome, no anti-ballistic lasers on ships. Though the technology does allow for point defense protection system, since those do not require very long range.

[Legend]

My next question is how fast is the reload? If in one conflict you burned out a system but saved a ship from a cloud of Anti-Ship-Missiles, it would totally be worth it! If the system could instantaneously burn out a missile's electronics systems, or just incinerate the warhead, would it be like five seconds to cool down, or would it be something slower? At that point, the Phalanx may be a tad less accurate, but it can just keep going until its out of ammo or it's blown to smithereens...

[Kyler]

Currently I am aware no point defense directed energy weapon for ships are in development. The ABL's & ATL's laser is chemical based,(COIL, Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser) so it does have limited fuel. How long could a laser last, I really don't know. I believe the ABL was designed to shoot down at least 10-20 ballistic missiles. Since cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles are much smaller they would be probably more vulnerable. I think development is on this kind of system is being held until Solid State lasers are more developed. These types of lasers produce photons from a electrical power source instead of a chemical reaction. They are currently not as powerful as chemical lasers, but they are progressing at fast rate. Boeing is hoping to have a powerful enough version in the next 5 years to be adapted to Fighters & Bombers for further testing. Once these lasers have been developed I believe they will be easily adapted to ships for point defense. The US Army & Israel developed a chemical laser as point defense weapon against rockets and mortars attacks from Hamas. The system proved successful but was deemed too expensive at the time to field. Recent lasers advances has Israel reconsidering the program and they may start the program up again with the US Army. That program was run under the name of THEL (Tactical High Energy Laser).

[RF]

It isn't really a question of a sense of humour, the question of where this technology will take us is particulary important as it implies the militarisation of outer space. Command of the skies would become an outmoded concept as command of your stratosphere and ionosphere would be the key to protecting you surface infrastructure......
And the weaponry will turn from defence to attack as missiles become as obsolete as the bow and arrow against bombs.

[Karl Heidenreich]

I wonder how relevant is for a superpower, as the US, to control the stratosphere if they can´t even control a miserable village in Afganistan. Why to have fancy weapons their weak leaders don´t dare to use in the full measure of their needs in order to achieve final and definitive victory? Colonel Harry Summers wasn´t that mistaken, you know.

[Byron Angel]

I wonder how relevant is for a superpower, as the US, to control the stratosphere if they can´t even control a miserable village in Afganistan. Why to have fancy weapons their weak leaders don´t dare to use in the full measure of their needs in order to achieve final and definitive victory? Colonel Harry Summers wasn´t that mistaken, you know.

..... Leaders change.


B

[RF]

I wonder how relevant is for a superpower, as the US, to control the stratosphere if they can´t even control a miserable village in Afganistan.

Karl, that is a matter of how you control your village. The restraint at present is political correctness.

Take political correctness out of the equation - the village is no longer a problem, because with no restraint there ain't going to be a village is there?

Incidently I am not advocating the annihilation and genocide that no restraint produces - it is a consequence of power without responsibility and accountability.

[Karl Heidenreich]

"In war, there is no substitute for victory."

- Douglas McArthur

[RF]

Precisely.