The Airborne Laser (ABL) missile defense system scored another advance, this time in its high-powered laser that can kill enemy missiles.
That high-energy laser fired multiple long-duration blasts during intensive ground tests, according to Northrop Grumman Corp. [NOC], builder of the laser system.
ABL consists of a highly modified 747-400 jumbo jet aircraft by prime contractor The Boeing Co. [BA], which also provides the battle management system, along with the Northrop laser system and a beam control/fire control system by Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT].
Lasting up to three seconds each, the lethal-power firings were conducted to ‘tune’ the megawatt-class laser by adjusting and balancing the mixture of chemicals that fuel its engine for peak operating efficiency. These settings can now be used for future testing, including the planned shoot-down of a ballistic missile later this year.
“The hallmarks of these latest firings are durability and repeatability,” noted Dan Wildt, vice president of Directed Energy Systems for the Northrop Aerospace Systems sector. “The duration of each firing of the megawatt-class laser was limited only by ground equipment.”
Long-duration operations of the Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) followed ‘first light’ of the high-energy laser through the beam control/fire control system in the hangar at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in November.
Tests were conducted by the Missile Defense Agency, Boeing and Northrop.
For long-duration laser operations, the megawatt-class laser was fired into a calorimeter onboard the aircraft. The calorimeter is a test instrument that captures and measures beam power. Each long-duration test provided the necessary data used to quickly evaluate and ‘tune’ the megawatt-class laser for peak operation.
The tuned high-power laser will be fired through the beam control/fire control system into a range simulator to complete the ABL weapon system ground testing phase in the next few weeks, clearing ABL to begin weapon system flight tests.
While the ABL program has proceeded steadily, meeting milestones, its funding may be cut severely in the next fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2010. (Please see full story in this issue.)