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U.S. successfully tests airborne laser on missile
WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A U.S. high-powered airborne laser weapon shot down a ballistic missile in the first successful test of a futuristic directed energy weapon, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Friday.
The agency said in a statement the test took place at 8:44 p.m. PST (11:44 p.m. EST) on Thursday /0444 GMT on Friday) at Point Mugu's Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division Sea Range off Ventura in central California.
"The Missile Defense Agency demonstrated the potential use of directed energy to defend against ballistic missiles when the Airborne Laser Testbed (ALTB) successfully destroyed a boosting ballistic missile" the agency said.
The high-powered Airborne Laser system is being developed by Boeing Co., (BA.N) the prime contractor, and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
Boeing produces the airframe, a modified 747 jumbo jet, while Northrop Grumman (NOC.N) supplies the higher-energy laser and Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) is developing the beam and fire control systems.
"This was the first directed energy lethal intercept demonstration against a liquid-fuel boosting ballistic missile target from an airborne platform," the agency added.
The airborne laser weapon successfully underwent its first in-flight test against a target missile back in August. During that test, Boeing said the modified 747-400F aircraft took off from Edwards Air Force Base and used its infrared sensors to find a target missile launched from San Nicolas Island, California.
The plane's battle management system issued engagement and target location instructions to the laser's fire control system, which tracked the target and fired a test laser at the missile. Instruments on the missile verified the system had hit its mark, Boeing said.
The airborne laser weapon is aimed at deterring enemy missile attacks and providing the U.S. military with the ability to engage all classes of ballistic missiles at the speed of light while they are in the boost phase of flight.
"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 (miles), and at a low cost per intercept attempt compared to current technologies," the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said.
(Reporting by Jim Wolf and David Alexander, Editing by Sandra Maler)
Great news, but I wonder why this info needs to be public. I think most of the public would just be happy to know that we (the US) successfully tested a laser which targeted an airborne missile. I think the US gives out way too much info that makes it real easy for other countries to find out.
Iowaguy- Adversaries already have some awareness of what the US is developing.There is some benefit to allowing them to reflect on the consequences of a reckless action!
You can thank Ronald Reagan for his so called Star Wars iniative. You know the one the Democrats said was a fairy tale, and tried on numerous times to kill the program. Thank God Reagan was a man of vision and courage!
Is the White House groundhog enriching uranium?
http://www.goodboybo.com/2010/02/groundhog-day.html
Bo
Iowa guy, just people someone from Iowa was working on the project to help defend our county
Too bad we won’t have a manned space program to allow an orbiting system that could be maintained over hot spots like Korea and Iran.
Cool! Soon nations will be able to obliterate cities from space. Nukes are sooo 20th century. Watch out third world!
We broke the Soviet Union trying to keep up with us once and we’ll do it again with China added.
Part of the reason it needs to be public is so the left wing extremists will know that our president has not yet scrapped all military development.
In their calculation, this is another failing of their leader.
