The Airborne Laser (ABL) missile defense system has moved to a new phase, with the high-energy laser undergoing testing with chemical fuel, The Boeing Co. [BA] announced today.
That high-energy laser has been installed on the aircraft, after refurbishment off-board.
ABL involves prime contractor Boeing contributing a heavily-modified 747-400 jumbo jet as the platform, and the battle management system. Northrop Grumman Corp. [NOC] provides the laser system, and Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT] makes the beam control/fire control system.
Testing will continue on the missile defense system, which uses a laser beam to kill an enemy missile. This all leads up to a critical test next year in which ABL will annihilate a target missile in flight.
The latest tests involve flowing chemicals through the laser to confirm sequencing and control. Once these tests are complete, the test team will fire the laser aboard the aircraft on the ground for the first time.
“The Airborne Laser team has done a great job preparing the high-energy laser for these fuel tests, which will lead the way toward achieving ‘first light’ of the laser aboard the aircraft,” said Mike Rinn, Boeing vice president and ABL program director.
Repeated laser firings aboard the aircraft will demonstrate lasing duration and power at levels suitable for destroying multiple classes of ballistic missiles.
The laser will then be fired through the beam control/fire control system, including the nose-mounted turret. This will be followed by functional check flights of the entire ABL weapon system.
The test campaign will feature the first airborne intercept of a ballistic missile next year.
Before being installed, the high-energy laser completed rigorous ground testing in a laboratory at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The aircraft’s front half contains the beam control/fire control system.