U.S. airborne laser test successful

[2ND COMING]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. high-powered airborne laser weapon shot down a ballistic missile in the first successful test of a futuristic directed energy weapon, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Friday.

The agency said in a statement the test took place at 8:44 p.m. PST (11:44 p.m. EST) on Thursday (0444 GMT on Friday) at Point Mugu's Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division Sea Range off Ventura in central California.

"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 agency said.

The high-powered Airborne Laser system is being developed by Boeing Co., the prime contractor, and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
Boeing produces the airframe, a modified 747 jumbo jet, while Northrop Grumman supplies the higher-energy laser and Lockheed Martin is developing the beam and fire control systems.

"This was the first directed energy lethal intercept demonstration against a liquid-fuel boosting ballistic missile target from an airborne platform," the agency added.
The airborne laser weapon successfully underwent its first in-flight test against a target missile back in August. During that test, Boeing said the modified 747-400F aircraft took off from Edwards Air Force Base and used its infrared sensors to find a target missile launched from San Nicolas Island, California.

The plane's battle management system issued engagement and target location instructions to the laser's fire control system, which tracked the target and fired a test laser at the missile. Instruments on the missile verified the system had hit its mark, Boeing said.
The airborne laser weapon is aimed at deterring enemy missile attacks and providing the U.S. military with the ability to engage all classes of ballistic missiles at the speed of light while they are in the boost phase of flight.

"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 (miles), and at a low cost per intercept attempt compared to current technologies," the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said.

[pedro01]

That's a game changer...

[powerpack]

That's a game changer...

I have been following this baby with interest.
Popular Mechanics and Airforces Monthly have been running articles on it for years.

It will be a game changer in the future but it will still be a while till it can get any kinda range needed for that.
Cool stuff though 

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/awx/2010/02/12/awx_02_12_2010_p0-204275.xml&headline=ABL Shoots Down Target, Engages Second&channel=defense

[powerpack]

Heres the video

[The Luke]

Total waste of money... impractical and maybe 20 years away from ever being implementable.

I could explain, but I don't want to invite an attack from Samson123.


Lemme know if anyone is interested (and willing to mod Samson's you don't know physics bullshit).



The Luke

[headhuntersix]

Why's it impractical.....its designed to hit the missile on the way up as part of a bigger anti-missile shield. Ur not American so its not ur cash.

[The Luke]

Why's it impractical.....its designed to hit the missile on the way up as part of a bigger anti-missile shield. Ur not American so its not ur cash.

There is no method of tracking the missile with sufficient accuracy.


The guy who patented one of the laser feedback mechanisms by which missiles can be destroyed by a self-centering beam, was head of the physics department at my college.

He used to laugh about it... you hit the missile with a broad beam low-intensity laser, use the optics through which the beam is focused/generated to define the exact position of the missile fuselage and simply ramp up the intensity ONLY where the missile reflects the detection beam.

Very simple really... like shining a torchlight into the forest then only shooting where the light is reflected by beady eyes.


Lots of military types were very interested... that was what was so funny.


Anyone ho knows their physics, knows it can't ever work.

The detection beam is at most 10 times wider than the "killer" beam, so you need to know where the 10 metre long missile is... to within ten metres before you can scan for it with your so-called detector beam.

Radar takes a couple of minutes to lock on a target such as an ICBM... and it can't track targets much faster than 10,000 kph. ICBMs would enter the NORAD air defense grid approx 3 seconds before they would impact the US... travelling at 30,000 kph.


Totally useless... and if you don't see what this is really being developed for, then maybe I shouldn't be the person to tell you.


The Luke

[powerpack]

Yes and no.
Early warning and range are an issue but it is a new device
Just the fact that they have a chemical laser up there that is powerfull enough to start taking things down is a brilliant start.
Developement on the other things will happen in leaps and bounds.

[The Luke]

Wait a second Luke.  In each of those threads you've engaged Samson, he has taken most of the heat from everyone.  You've been held up as the hero of all those threads.  What could possibly be your bitch about that?  What in the hell could your complaint be?  hell I let the flamage fly on Samson more than I probably should have.  Samson was the target in his own threads.  Are you saying you don't want to post unless I'm there to delete Samson?  Yea, I would like you to explain why this is a total waste of money.  I don't like the government wasting money so I'd like to hear why.  And if you have a problem with something that needs modded, pm me and I'll treat it fairly like I try to do for everyone.

Whoa... whoa... Hugo!

No attacking anyone... just don't want to seem like a shit stirrer if I decide to ignore Samson's attacks. No offense.


Regarding the laser system: that shit just won't work... 'tis impossible.

-the laser plane has to be within range of the launching missile (roughly within 50 miles: line of sight)
-the missile has to launch roughly in front of the laser plane (infrared sensors can't see behind the plane's exhaust)
-the sun can occlude the infrared sensors (night missions only)
-the launching missile will be out of effective range in about three minutes (faster than the target can be tracked)
-assuming they switch this over to radar, the same problem applies... it's too fast to track, and out of range in minutes
-ICBMs are out of completely out of eve NORAD's radar range in about ten minutes
-even assuming they get a lock, the laser optics can't track an ICBM... or even a 70s style Scudd
-the only time it could work against an ICBM would be when the ICBM is in outer space beginning re-entry
-it would take NASA and every amateur astronomer on Earth about a month to spot an ICBM in space
-the launch to re-entry time for ICBMs is about 45 mins
 
...there's lots more, but let's just deal with the best-case-scenario:

-an ICBM is launched right in front of one of these laser planes
-the sensors/radar spots the ICBM within 1 minute
-the laser plane contacts the White House
-the White House doesn't even flinch about irradiating the atmosphere or the (friendly) country the ICBM's flying over -knock-down authorisation is returned within 1 minute
-radar lock takes 1 minute (even though the ICBM travels too fast for radar lock)
-the radar lock is exact with no margin for error
-the laser optics lock on instantly (even though the optics can't track an ICBM)
-the 10 meter wide detector beam hits (and tracks) the 20 meter long ICBM with no margin for error
-all of this takes place faster than the three minutes it takes for the ICBM to get out of range

...of course all of this assumes the ICBM is being launched WITHIN the NORAD radar grid, and radar lock is even possible.

It's a crock!


Now if anyone can guess correctly why this weapon is REALLY being developed, I'll tell you how to defeat the system for less than a hundred bucks.


The Luke

[Skip8282]

Total waste of money... impractical and maybe 20 years away from ever being implementable.

I could explain, but I don't want to invite an attack from Samson123.


Lemme know if anyone is interested (and willing to mod Samson's you don't know physics bullshit).



The Luke

I've been told that military technology is often ahead by about a decade or so.  Do you think there is any truth to that?

Also, do you know of any other promissing technology that they are working on to try and intercept missiles?

[The Luke]

I've been told that military technology is often ahead by about a decade or so.  Do you think there is any truth to that?

Also, do you know of any other promissing technology that they are working on to try and intercept missiles?

No. Their budget just allows them do things that won't be cost productive for ten years.

Literally every penny spent on military research is lost to corporate slush funds... it's seldom (if ever) productive.


This laser is just another example of it... it can't be used against nuclear ICBMs, because NOTHING can be done to stop an ICBM once launched.

"Missile Shield" is a fantasy... a fundraising cover-op for someting else... if anyone can tell me what else (ie: why this laser system is being developed) I'll gladly explain how missiles can be made laser proof for about a hundred bucks.


The Luke

[headhuntersix]

Oh....gee "the Luke"...whats ur clearance level. Oh u don't have one. We have systems that engage mortars and knock them down. We do it here once a week. U have no access to the tech we're talking about. Ur not at the lab, ur not on the plane, ur not part of the development team. Ur "every penny is lost" bullshit ....gimme a break. We have'nt kicked the dogshit out of  eveybody because our  aquisition system is broken. All the Hollywood movies u see and people scoffed at...we're doing alot of that shit. Our drones are wasting dudes, finding dudes based on pattern of life analysis, tracking IED's and alot of crap ur not cleared for. Ur info is at best Popular mechanics deep. Even if this program doesn't get produced, the research will advance us.

[The Luke]

Oh....gee "the Luke"...whats ur clearance level. Oh u don't have one. We have systems that engage mortars and knock them down. We do it here once a week. U have no access to the tech we're talking about. Ur not at the lab, ur not on the plane, ur not part of the development team. Ur "every penny is lost" bullshit ....gimme a break. We have'nt kicked the dogshit out of  eveybody because our  aquisition system is broken. All the Hollywood movies u see and people scoffed at...we're doing alot of that shit. Our drones are wasting dudes, finding dudes based on pattern of life analysis, tracking IED's and alot of crap ur not cleared for. Ur info is at best Popular mechanics deep. Even if this program doesn't get produced, the research will advance us.

I'm not a moron, HH6.

I know full well what such a weapons system is capable of... and why it is being developed... it has nothing to do with knocking down ICBMs or other such missiles.


Wanna know how hard it is to laser-gun proof an ICBM missile?


The Luke

[ToxicAvenger]

Heres the video

see any similarities?