New Airborne Laser TestBed Footage

[ctrlraven]

February 11 2010. A modified Boeing 747-400F with more than 7 tons of optics up front and a megawatt-class laser in back destroyed a liquid-fueled ballistic missile target while both were in flight. The Missile Defense Agency's Airborne Laser TestBed reportedly carries a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser that's coupled with precise pointing and atmospheric correction equipment. And it has now proven capable of knocking a ballistic missile out of the sky.

The system is the result of a cooperative effort led by Boeing, in partnership with Northrop Grumman (which supplies the laser) and Lockheed Martin (which is developing the fire control system). The aim is to deter enemy missile attacks by disabling the attacking missiles while they are in the boost phase. That means hitting a target capable of 4,000 miles per hour with a beam of light traveling somewhere close to 670 million miles per hour.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency hopes similar devices will one day be able to track and attack multiple targets, at a range of hundreds of kilometers, at at a lower cost than current technologies."
But For now, the price of the program is a problem. Defense Secretary Robert Gates canceled what had been an order for a second airborne laser system. The original, will continue to participate in experiments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LKk1bTL6fk
embedding disabled

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIhESePITGQ
jIhESePITGQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmkYcEcSLvA
MmkYcEcSLvA

[Vortex]

That system will be real useful if you just happen to have a giant 747 flying around the launch site of an enemy missle silo. I know, its just a technology test but unless you can shrink lasers I bet this is another dead end.

[Haggis]

Maybe they can put one on Moon base Alpha and they can shoot down the missles from there.

[Pops]

Maybe they can put one on Moon base Alpha and they can shoot down the missles from there.

:shake::shake::shake::shake::s hake::shake:

[CBT]

Hell to the yeah!


February 11 2010. A modified Boeing 747-400F with more than 7 tons of optics up front and a megawatt-class laser in back destroyed a liquid-fueled ballistic missile target while both were in flight. The Missile Defense Agency's Airborne Laser TestBed reportedly carries a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser that's coupled with precise pointing and atmospheric correction equipment. And it has now proven capable of knocking a ballistic missile out of the sky.

The system is the result of a cooperative effort led by Boeing, in partnership with Northrop Grumman (which supplies the laser) and Lockheed Martin (which is developing the fire control system). The aim is to deter enemy missile attacks by disabling the attacking missiles while they are in the boost phase. That means hitting a target capable of 4,000 miles per hour with a beam of light traveling somewhere close to 670 million miles per hour.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency hopes similar devices will one day be able to track and attack multiple targets, at a range of hundreds of kilometers, at at a lower cost than current technologies."
But For now, the price of the program is a problem. Defense Secretary Robert Gates canceled what had been an order for a second airborne laser system. The original, will continue to participate in experiments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LKk1bTL6fk
embedding disabled

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIhESePITGQ
jIhESePITGQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmkYcEcSLvA
MmkYcEcSLvA

[CBT]

Maybe they can put one on Moon base Alpha and they can shoot down the missles from there.
The moon? How 'bout Uranus.

[Zack]

Gee, how to counteract this anti-missle plane?

Step 1: Send up a decoy missle
Step 2: Send up about 10 small anti-aircraft missles
Step 3: Plane w/laser is destroyed
Step 4: Launch real missle.

UNREAL!

[CBT]

I saw a movie about this, I think the guy who designed it called it "The Allen Parsons Project".

[Haggis]

How 'bout ur anus.

That's what Casey said.

[MiltownCvLx]

Cool technology but it would b 10x more effective if they were to make it smaller and put these on combat aircraft.

[Mr. Man]

Hey you got to start somewhere. Just think of the first rifle made and trying to convince the powers that be that you would be able to kill the enemy from 50 yards away. Bet the sword makers were like "Oh yeah right, believe it when I see it".
Got to figure if they are telling the public at large about it they got something better already.

[babbage]

What the hell is this "viral marketing" for DoD spending?

Anyone ever see "Real Genius" -- I like that movie. Val was good.

[CBT]

That's a freaking powerful laser. Bad news is, those pilots will never be able to have kids. Good news is, my turkey is done!

[Mr. Man]

That's what she said!!!

[rayjay]

My torch is out of propane. I wonder if they could start my trash fire with thing?

[Blackened300a]

That's a frickin powerful laser.

http://www.perthstreetbikes.com/30879/Lasers-West-Coast-Highway/dr.evil.laser.jpg

[guspech750]

I say lets point the laser at our boarders and dirt bags that have been on welfare for more than 15 minutes!! The cost saving would be huge!!