USAF have successful test of Airborne Laser

[formerBrat]

I know this has been in testing for some time but ran across this story on af.mil and decided to pass it along:

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123190368

Airborne laser testbed successful in lethal intercept experiment

Posted 2/12/2010 Email story Print story


2/12/2010 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Missile Defense Agency officials demonstrated the potential use of directed energy to defend against ballistic missiles when the Airborne Laser Testbed successfully destroyed a boosting ballistic missile Feb. 11 over the Pacific Ocean.

The experiment, conducted at Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division Sea Range off the central California coast, serves as a proof-of-concept demonstration for directed energy technology.

The Airborne Laser Testbed is a pathfinder for the nation's directed energy program and its potential application for missile defense technology.

At 8:44 p.m. PST Feb. 11, a short-range threat-representative ballistic missile was launched from an at-sea mobile launch platform. Within seconds, the Airborne Laser Testbed used onboard sensors to detect the boosting missile and used a low-energy laser to track the target. The Airborne Laser Testbed then fired a second low-energy laser to measure and compensate for atmospheric disturbance. Finally, the Airborne Laser Testbed fired its megawatt-class High Energy Laser, heating the boosting ballistic missile to critical structural failure. The entire engagement occurred within two minutes of the target missile launch, while its rocket motors were still thrusting.

This was the first directed energy lethal intercept demonstration against a liquid-fuel boosting ballistic missile target from an airborne platform. The revolutionary use of directed energy is very attractive for missile defense, with the potential to attack multiple targets at the speed of light, at a range of hundreds of kilometers, and at a low cost per intercept attempt compared to current technologies.

Less than one hour later, a second solid fuel short-range missile was launched from a ground location on San Nicolas Island, Calif., and the Airborne Laser Testbed successfully engaged the boosting target with its High Energy Laser, met all its test criteria, and terminated lasing prior to destroying the second target. The Airborne Laser Testbed destroyed a solid fuel missile, identical to the second target, in flight on February 3, 2010.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

The intergalactic death ray has been created! Now we are ready for those damn Mar-shins… :)

 

[DA SWO]

The intergalactic death ray has been created! Now we are ready for those damn Mar-shins… :)

Quick way to respond to a TBM threat, put three planes in orbit until an Aegis Cruiser shows up to take over.

FWIW- Many Liberal Groups said the technology wasn't available yet, and they technical hurdles were too great to overcome, yeah right.
This is a single test, but watch every success will be met with silence, every failure met with "see we told ya so, kill the program".

 

[formerBrat]

.... put three planes in orbit until an Aegis Cruiser shows up to take over".

Kind of like a defensive laser Chrome Dome, eh? I guess my major question would be, and probably yet to be answered, is what would be the response time of an aircraft like this, say on the detection of a launch? Would it necessitate something like a Zulu Alert that used to be held by USAFE fighter interceptor squadrons in Western Europe?

The intergalactic death ray has been created! Now we are ready for those damn Mar-shins… :)

Now if we could accomplish an acoustical weapon to achieve the "brown noise."

 

[DA SWO]

I doubt we would/could build enough to cover all the possible flash points, but a plane can be someplace w/i 36 hr of getting a go, so our ability to get Korea, or W-Europe covered fast get enhanced.

 

[Manolito]

what if you put the chemical laser in orbit instead of on a plane?

 

[Rapid]

what if you put the chemical laser in orbit instead of on a plane?

Then Star Wars begins.

It’s politically sensitive, but it’s going to happen. Some people don’t want to hear this, and it sure isn’t in vogue, but—absolutely—we’re going to fight in space. We’re going to fight from space and we’re going to fight into space. That’s why the US has development programs in directed energy and hit-to-kill mechanisms. We will engage terrestrial targets someday—ships, airplanes, land targets—from space.

Commander-in-Chief of US Space Command, Joseph W. Ashy, August 9, 1996

 

[Marauder06]

Make it smaller so we can put it on UAVs

 

[Rapid]

Make it smaller so we can put it on UAVs

Now that truly would be "laser-guided precision".

 

[Marauder06]

It would be the death ray I always wanted...

 

[Chopstick]

It would be the death ray I always wanted...

Will there be a case study?:uhh:

 

[AWP]

Will there be a case study?:uhh:

I would have to kill him with his own death ray.

 

[QC]

Portable version

 

[Chopstick]

This popped into my mind.

 

[patrick10]

I know this has been in testing for some time but ran across this story on af.mil and decided to pass it along:

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123190368

I just recently came across this thread and I find it to be a pretty interesting subject. As far as the concept being tested for some time, you're absolutely right. Before the modified 747 that they used recently, in 1975 the USAF placed a less powerful laser than the Yal-1A on a NKC-135A that successfully shot down small missiles and a drone. That was 40 years ago.

 

[AWP]

I just recently came across this thread and I find it to be a pretty interesting subject. As far as the concept being tested for some time, you're absolutely right. Before the modified 747 that they used recently, in 1975 the USAF placed a less powerful laser than the Yal-1A on a NKC-135A that successfully shot down small missiles and a drone. That was 40 years ago.

Per the Site Rules which were a part of the User Agreement when you signed up, please post an Introduction in the correct forum. This should be your very next post.

 

[Etype]

They need to hire this kid. If he can build this in his garage, he can build the Death Star with some government funding.

 

[x SF med]

Look at what the Navy has though....

 

[AWP]

They have Iran Photoshopping developing their weapons?

 

[Ranger Psych]

They have North Korea Photoshopping developing their weapons?

fixed