Posted on 04/06/2006 9:52:30 AM PDT by neverdem
Problem: How to protect the United States, Israel, Japan, Taiwan, NATO other friends and allies, and U.S. military bases all around the world, from ballistic missiles of different ranges, warheads and capabilities, including the multiple warhead type now claimed by Iran? Solution: The Airborne Laser (ABL).
It is the promise of a mobile worldwide defense against a variety of threats that makes development of the ABL important. The Missile Defense Agency has been working on this system for nine years and in 2008 will reach the culmination of that effort with an attempt to shoot down a ballistic missile from an airborne platform.
That platform is a Boeing 747 loaded with lasers that will find a ballistic missile, focus on it, track it through the clouds, and then zap it with a high-powered beam to heat and destroy it in the boost phase, before it can release any warheads and decoys. The whole sequence of events takes just seconds, then the lasers turn to the next target.
The advantages are many. A pair of 747s can fly in a few hours to any trouble spot on Earth, giving this defense mobility and flexibility. The lasers operate with the speed of light, enabling the ABL to destroy multiple missiles with multiple warheads as fast as they can be launched.
The ABL will be a quantum leap in military technology, making science fiction-like beam weapons a reality. The ABL also could use its lasers against enemy aircraft, disabling or destroying them while defending itself. A number of other missions are possible, and some will be tested if the 2008 shoot-down succeeds. But the primary mission is to add a new boost-phase capability to a worldwide missile defense.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
All we need is Slim Pickins to ride the laser
One day, perhaps soon, some madman will launch a missile at the United States. If it is knocked down and millions of American lives are saved, we can thank Ronald Wilson Reagan for his foresight in pushing "Star Wars" and George Walker Bush for carrying through on that vision. I suspect even the likes of pelosi, kennedy, clinton, et al will be thankful, even if only secretly.
I agree about President Reagan. It was one of the highlights of my life to work for him in the "Star Wars" program in the late 80's. He is still my #1 president with our current president as #2. They saw the threats in the future and decided to act on them NOW!
however the range to power on target does indeed matter when you are talking Knocking down missiles in flight. There is a limited span of time and a limited range at which you can get the proper amount of power on target. They are both moving and a relatively high speed and keeping a focused beam of light on one spot for more that .5 sec is damn near impossible. The attenuation due to atmospheric interference warps light and will in-fact lessen the effective power on target and a distance. effective distance unless it is in the extremely high power range will be less than 1000 miles.... how does this help?
I don't want to sound uppity, but I have spent my career on this kind of problem. Yes it is difficult, but it is also doable, even at the ranges and speeds we are talking about for the ABL and the targets.
I don’t know, but it seems to me that a laser space based system would have a better chance of defending itself from an incoming object than an aircraft system which requires a significant chain of support to keep it flying in the theater of operation.
The main problems I see with aircraft based platforms are where and when to deploy them. As most actors out there such as Iran would likely not launch from their own territory it would be easy to get around such a system.
Not enough. We need Lasers-on-sharks-with-bees-in-their-mouths!
28 years in the laser biz. It's doable.
I understand that the acronym L.A.S.E.R. was originally going to be Light OSCILLATION of Stimulated Emission of Radiation, but it just didn't look good as an acronym.
:^)
Did you fly the plane thats retired and parked at the Dayton Museum?
Did you fly the plane thats retired and parked at the Dayton Museum?
Yep.
Did you fly the plane thats retired and parked at the Dayton Museum?
Yep.
That must have been a blast! (literally too!)
Funny- had not heard that before. Actually was a follow-on to the acronym MASER which was developed for microwaves.
It was exciting. The plane was near max weight, and on hot Albuquerque days we used every inch of the runway. Actually would start the takeoff run on the curved overrun area so we had some speed as we started uo the runway. Then we would drop down into the Rio Grande valley to pick up speed before climbing.
You are just the guy I'm looking for, I've got a few "LASER" questions.
Would the "weapons grade" laser proposed for antimissile use be chemically pumped?
If so, does it produce a continuous output as fresh reactants are supplied?
Can the beam be turned off while reactants remain?
If the beam is allowed to extinguish, how long would it take to generate a "second shot"?
Just curious.
Regards,
GtG
Yes, it uses a checmical reaction to create a gas that outputs the beam.\\It can be turned on and off. It does expel the used gas. A second shot can be done quickly.
Many HOT days spent at Edwards AFB, huh?
I spent lots of them there with you.
Nope, the reason for a 747 (or C-130, where we already have lasers mounted, I've heard), is that to get the output needed for a laser weapon,
you need a huge heavy energy source, and a long lasing chamber.
You mount the laser down the entire length of the airplane, which has to be
big to lift the energy source, and aim it by aiming the plane.
A small, light energy source (even small and light enough to put a laser weapon on an SR-71) is simply not available.
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