[Termite_Commander]

Nifty.

[Parmenio]

"As envisioned, the aircraft would fly in a figure-eight pattern over an area deemed a likely site of a missile launch."

How did they plan to protect the 747? The way the article desribes it it would seem difficult to protect the plane against air to air or gound to air missle attack.

[Termite_Commander]

The Boeing-led Airborne Laser team successfully exposed the ABL aircrafts conformal window for the first time during flight in May. The exposure of the conformal window is a maneuver necessary for the weapon system to complete its mission of shooting down a ballistic missile during the boost phase of flight. Image Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Jim Shryne


This diagram shows the locations of various systems within the Airborne Laser aircraft. ABL team members are responsible for various elements of the system: Boeing is responsible for supplying the 747-400 Freighter, developing crew safety and the Battle Management system. Lockheed Martin is responsible for the nose-mounted turret, illuminator lasers and beam-control system. Northrop Grumman is responsible for the system's high-energy laser. Image Credit: Boeing/ABL.


Lockheed Martin Space Systems engineer in the company’s Sunnyvale, Calif. facility inspects the Turret Ball Conformal Window on the Flight Turret Assembly for the Airborne Laser. The window is the exit for the High Energy Laser and exit and return window for the Beacon Illuminator and Tracker Illuminator lasers. Image Credit: Lockheed Martin.

[bruin66]

During the flight test, the lasers will be fired at a military NKC-135 aircraft with a picture of a ballistic missile painted on its fuselage...

What??

[SlowBoat407]

Just be sure to double-check the target coordinates.

[SlowBoat407]

During the flight test, the lasers will be fired at a military NKC-135 aircraft with a picture of a ballistic missile painted on its fuselage,

Crew of the laser plane will then all yell "ka-cheooo! ka-cheooo!" and "bzzzzzzttt!!", while crew of the KC-135 will yell "You missed!!"

[NonValueAdded]

Silent Lightning bump

[Rockitz]

I worked on the laser portion of this in the early 90s. I always thought it looked like a systems nightmare and turns out I was right.

[TChris]

Now in a new, portable size!

[Yo-Yo]

What with birdstrikes, hail, and insects, you have to question the wisdom of putting that turret in the nose as opposed to the tail.

[Little Ray]

I wonder what an ABL could do fighters? Could it knock 'em down beyond missile range or would the atmosphere attenuate the beam too much?

[backhoe]

-Israel's Arrow Anti-Missile System and the THEL...--

[Joe Brower]

Ping!