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Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Airborne Laser starts on-board firing tests

In another milestone for the Airborne Laser (ABL) program, and further evidence of the growing science-fiction like capabilities of the modern military machine, Boeing and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency have successfully fired a high-energy chemical laser onboard the ABL aircraft during ground testing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The test moves the project a step closer to a full missile shoot-down demonstration expected in 2009.

A joint project between Northrop Grumman (who built the laser), Lockheed Martin (beam control/fire control system) and prime contractor Boeing (battle management system), the ABL is a high-energy laser housed in a modified Boeing 747-400F that is designed to autonomously detect, track and shoot down ballistic missiles in their boost phase of flight.

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