Yeah - thats ABL. I've got some gear on that aircraft.
It works now too. The biggest problem in the past is that its chemical laser used to release such hot gases, it could melt off the verticle stabilizer. It is part of a multi teir system, that also includes THAAD, and specially modified SM Block 2's that have an extra booster to go after ballitic missiles. There is also an infrared launch detector that is part of this system, among other things.
Basically AMerica is creating a shield around itself.
There is some speculation that this system could theoretically target a man size object as well, but I guess we will never know.
-S
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