US Airborne Laser Team Begins Weapon System Flight Tests
By Frontier India | April 24th, 2009 | Category: Defence Research and Development | No Comments »
The Boeing Company, industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency have begun Airborne Laser (ABL) flight tests with the entire weapon system integrated aboard the ABL aircraft.
ABL, a heavily modified Boeing 747-400F aircraft, completed its functional check flight April 21 from Edwards Air Force Base with the beam control/fire control system and the high-energy laser onboard, confirming the aircraft is airworthy, ready for more airborne tests, and on track for its missile-intercept demonstration this year.
ABL also has the potential to be employed for other missions, including destroying aircraft and surface-to-air missiles.
