So, a few months ago you might remember we talked about a series of tests of Boeing’s airborne laser — a massive, Rube Goldberg contraption housed in a 747 freighter aimed at knocking down ballistic missiles.
During a phoner press conference, Boeing officials mentioned in passing they were working on another system that could engage ground targets. To me, this seems far more logical for such a weapon than one that’s designed to knock out missiles…that mission strikes me as redundant.
Well, now it seems Boeing has taken the first step in making the laser gunship a reality by installing the weapon on a C-130H…
Boeing completed the laser installation Dec. 4 at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. The laser, including its major subsystem, a 12,000-pound integrated laser module, was moved into place aboard the aircraft and aligned with the previously-installed beam control system, which will direct the laser beam to its target.
With the laser installed, Boeing is set to conduct a series of tests leading up to a demonstration in 2008 in which the program will fire the laser in-flight at mission-representative ground targets to demonstrate the military utility of high-energy lasers. The test team will fire the laser through a rotating turret that extends through the aircraft’s belly.
“The installation of the high-energy laser shows that the ATL program continues to make tremendous progress toward giving the warfighter a speed-of-light, precision engagement capability that will dramatically reduce collateral damage,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems.
“Next year, we will fire the laser at ground targets, demonstrating the military utility of this transformational directed energy weapon.”
I just love the idea that a JTAC could soon call in for a laser strike on a target. Move over Spectre, say hello to the new “Vulcan” cannon (Star Trek reference here).
ATL, which Boeing is developing for the U.S. Department of Defense, will destroy, damage or disable targets with little to no collateral damage, supporting missions on the battlefield and in urban operations. Boeing’s Advanced Tactical Laser industry team includes L-3 Communications/Brashear, which made the laser turret, and HYTEC, Inc., which made various structural elements of the weapon system.
Can’t wait to see the test shoot next year…
– Christian
This version makes a lot more sense doctrinally than the ABL. The ABL is a wonderful piece of equipment, if not horrifically expensive. Unfortunately it
When’s this thing going to be available for air-to-air combat?
P.S. EVIL!
I see several posts about this and the ABL being useless. I disagree. These are the future. Those enemies who can afford them will develop them as well — thats the nature of weapons. “if we don’t they will”. At any rate, both of these systems, with their somewhat limited ranges are theatre weapons.
Both will be deployed with hostile intent, or the threat of hostile intent, whenever and whenever tensions are high. But they’re no more and provocative than say cruise or other missiles including ABM’s — like say a PAC3, especially one on an F-15. But for many types of attacks they will be much more effective, and actually considerably less provocative than explosives.
As to those concerned about accidently blinding civilians — of course that will happen. Innocents will always be injured in conflict. But as a civilian in an insurgency zone would you rather take your chances with the accidential reflections of a laser off your highly polished Mercedes or would you rather be in the vicinity of a highly accurate ATACMS, a small Viper Strike, or a burst of 30mm rounds from an AC-130?
The trouble with the ATL as a low collateral damage weapon is that you can be 100–500 meters away from a laser strike and probably still suffer significant vision damage. I don’t think you can say that about weapons like viper strike.
@people who say that ABL is useless
That’s just nonsense. The ABL is our best shot at boost phase interception, period. As for justifiable cause, etc etc. First of all, no one will care. Second of all, the NK are not crazy enough to start a war because No Dong 5 has been shot down. Lastly, they are not stupid enough to start a war after their only means at striking US and allies have just been defeated.
Another problem is if the weapon is accidently fired towards the horizon instead of the ground. My knowledge of laser physics is very small, but I think the beam would defocus and scatter, spreading over a fairly wide area and potentially causing vision loss for people several kilometers away. Humans are so reliant on their eyesight that the thought of partial or complete blindness is a source of unique horror for most people.
This could become, like napalm, a serious blot on America’s reputation.
Don’t get all excited. This is an early test model. In time all your concerns will be addressed and it will be the preferred weapon
Sleep well. Just do your job.
Mr. Scott: it is as if I had written it myself but to not let these idiots teach their “rot” would be far worse. There would be no comparative thought, which is necessary to be educated. That is why the dems wanted the 18-year old voting act: the younger, the more one can be molded to liberalism, or any “ism” for that matter.
‘Because we are dealing with an enemy that is by and large ignorant, primitive and superstitious a sudden death by flash fry would have a significant effect.’
that is so true.
remember towers?
What if, what if, what if? The US would never us this if not already at war as the congress wouldn’t let them period. It is like the nuke, who many have been used since 1945?
What if, what if, what if? The US would never us this if not already at war as the congress wouldn’t let them period. It is like the nuke, who many have been used since 1945?
It will never be deployed. The lawyers running the Army set up the rules of engagement; you must stop them and ask them to surrender, if they don’t, you hit them with a marshmellow and detain them in our local Holiday Inn.
Let’s give the technology to the Japanese. They always figure out how to build things smaller, quickly. Then take the miniature version and mount them on remote control planes. Fly about 50,000 of them through the mountains of Afghanistan and eliminate anything that doesn’t belong there. Snap, crackle, POP!
Let’s give the technology to the Japanese. They always figure out how to build things smaller, quickly. Then take the miniature version and mount them on remote control planes. Fly about 50,000 of them through the mountains of Afghanistan and eliminate anything that doesn’t belong there. Snap, crackle, POP!
I just want to see a large a spaceship called enterprise, lol. What are we going to do when the enemy shots one down and acquires the technology? We need more technology war machines like this, but technology and economy plays hand and hand so we have to sit on the more amazing stuff we have.
If we had a real world war againthe government would release the higher technologies they have been sitting on for over 40 years, would be nice.
Heart of War
Shawn Earnest
Sun Tzu.
I wonder if it is anything like the 400 Terra Joule (400,000,000,000,000 Joules (Watts / second) chemical laser that I attended the course for back in 1977 — this had to use a ‘pre-cursor’ laser to part the air molecules so that the main laser didn’t turn the air to plasma trying to fight it’s way through.
I just thing that this is a fantasy of officials. If not, it is far more worse — what would happen to the rest of weapons, If the US Army converts to laser? I tell you what. They will distribute them for affordable prices to Muslim and African countries, so they could carry on their ‘monkey tribes’ wars.
They had laser cannons in airplanes, jeeps and ships for over thirty years. Reagan gave the technology to the reds when he announced his so-called “star wars” program to prevent a first strike by them. I have no doubt that our “government by crooks” will use the technology for “assassinations from space” IE “spontaneous combustion’s” to control the masses. Our secret laser missile shield has been operational for years.
It is being made public so they can start selling these systems, more than likely to the Arabs. Pretty soon Mohammad will be the only one with enough money to buy them.
Some of these systems are capable of hundereds of pulses a second. I read a report in the seventies where a military test only knocked out 4 targets in a second. They were trying for a lot more. It is more than likely that the military has a secret orbiting laser and smart bomb cannons on a platform in space, opperational for years. .
“Monkey Tribe” Wars? what an ignorant twit Elen Prague is.…
the americans are masters when it comes to building all types of terrible weapons that they can use to steal the wealth of other countries in the name of demoncracy.then they tell the innocent SHEEP of the world, that they protect and advance demoncracy.the americans and the brits are the lakeys of the money power the HOGGENHEIMERS.they gave all of africa demoncracy now the monkey tribes are destroying themselves. the most lethal weapon of mass destrion and suffering ‚is demoncracy they will think up all shit to blind the SHEEP of the world„ to prevent them from seeing WHAT’S REALY GOING ON!!!!
I can’t believe they finally got it to work. This is cool.
The technology is so intense… pretty much impossible for the freaks to steal it.
OR we could spend the money on international events, education upgrades to understand eachother and lets have peace instead??
I own 2 rifles but use them for sport. I don’t believe in war.
They don’t have to think of what to tell the sheep
they just mind control them. They don’t have to work that hard.