Airborne Laser testing progresses

[Bill Nichols]

Check out the video from this recent test of the Airborne Laser (ABL) missile defense system:



The 747 ABL aircraft is on the right side of the screen, engaging a ballistic missile ascending from the left.

Expect more exciting news in the near future!

[Letum]

What is the power plant?
I take it this isn't running from the engine's generators.

The fact that you can see the laser beam in thin air says a lot about it's efficiency over range.

[Bill Nichols]

It's a megawatt-class chemical laser.

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/abl/

[NeonSamurai]

I am not sure if you could actually see that test (or the real weapon) in thin air, that was a thermal camera recording of the test as far as I could tell. To see it with the naked eye it would have to be emitting light at a visible spectrum, and have particles refracting some of that light along the beam. Also they used a high energy low power beam for the test. It looked like the laser was tracking very smoothly though which is critical for the system to work as intended.

[Letum]

I meant that you could see the infra red trace in the air.

That means it must be heating up the air and by quite a lot.
I would not be surprised if the majority of the output goes into heating thin air.

[krashkart]

I haven't the vaguest idea of how lasers work, but have always kept that project in mind ever since I heard of its inception. Really hope the government will keep funding it through to the final bill of sale.

Just as a side note, how's the Navy's rail gun experiment going? I'll have to look around.

EDIT: That beam does indeed track smooth as a baby's behind. It targets the propellant mass, does it not?

[Bill Nichols]

I told you to expect exciting news soon... here it is:

Airborne Laser Testbed Successful in Lethal Intercept Experiment

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 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 ALTB is a pathfinder for the nation’s directed energy program and its potential application for missile defense technology.
At 8:44 p.m. (PST), February 11, 2010, a short-range threat-representative ballistic missile was launched from an at-sea mobile launch platform. Within seconds, the ALTB used onboard sensors to detect the boosting missile and used a low-energy laser to track the target. The ALTB then fired a second low-energy laser to measure and compensate for atmospheric disturbance. Finally, the ALTB 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 ALTB 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 ALTB destroyed a solid fuel missile, identical to the second target, in flight on February 3, 2010.



Feb. 11, 2010 - An infrared image of the Missile Defense Agency’s Airborne Laser Testbed (right)
destroying a threat representative short-range ballistic missile (left).

[Oberon]

Whoa, inefficient or not, that's a great step forward for the project and a very, very smooth tracking system. Good job guys!

[krashkart]

Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Excellent work!

[TteFAboB]

I'm not impressed until the beams travel below the speed of light and in short bursts, like in Star Wars, like flying colored office lamps. That's an impressive technology: a colored office lamp canon!

[Bill Nichols]

Video of last night's shootdown has just been released by the Missile Defense Agency. Get it here:

http://www.mda.mil/global/videos/abl..._11_feb_10.wmv

More info and photos here:

http://www.mda.mil/news/gallery_altb.html

[Letum]

Originally Posted by TteFAboB

I'm not impressed until the beams travel below the speed of light and in short bursts, like in Star Wars, like flying colored office lamps. That's an impressive technology: a colored office lamp canon!

The beam is traveling below light speed.
Points to anyone who knows why.

[razark]

Originally Posted by Letum

The beam is traveling below light speed.
Points to anyone who knows why.

Because it's traveling through atmosphere, and not a vacuum?

[d@rk51d3]

Originally Posted by TteFAboB

I'm not impressed until the beams travel below the speed of light and in short bursts, like in Star Wars, like flying colored office lamps. That's an impressive technology: a colored office lamp canon!

.......... and make a really cool "pew pew" sound.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Letum

The beam is traveling below light speed.
Points to anyone who knows why.

no the beam is traveling the speed of light, it is just traveling at the speed of light through the specific medium (the atmosphere). Laser "beams" always travel at the speed of light, just that the speed of light changes.

Now you are correct that the laser "beam" traveling through the atmosphere is traveling slower than what we think is the maximum speed of light (Speed of light in a vacuum)