This is a Terrier Black Brant Rocket. This was used in the test.
Posted on 02/13/2010 12:45:09 AM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Airborne Laser (ABL) has successfully engaged its first ballistic missile with its powerful chemical laser, shooting it down and demonstrating the concept of using high-powered lasers to destroy such threats in their boost phase of flight.
A series of flight tests included engagement of a single liquid-fueled ballistic missile and two solid-fueled Terrier Black Brant sounding rockets. Though not ballistic missiles, the rockets closely mimic a solid-fueled ballistic missile in the boost phase, the period in which ABL is expected to engage. And they offer a lower-cost alternative to launching actual short-range ballistic missile targets, according to Rick Lehner, an MDA spokesman.
During this long-awaited exercise Feb. 11, the 747-400F-based ABL testbed aircraft self-tracked a boosting liquid-fueled, short-range ballistic missile lofted from a mobile sea platform at 8:44 p.m. (PST) within seconds of launch. The onboard low-energy laser compensated for atmospheric disturbances and then the multimegawatt-class high-energy laser engaged the target, “heating the boosting ballistic missile to critical structural failure,” according to a statement from MDA officials. The engagement lasted about two minutes, the officials say.
Within one hour, MDA engaged the second target, a solid-fueled Terrier Black Brant, which was launched from a ground location. Lasing terminated prior to its destruction. MDA officials nonetheless say this demonstration “met all its test criteria,” but they do not cite a reason why the target was not fully lased to destruction.
The ABL did not land or reconstitute the chemicals used to form the laser between the two engagements.
This round, using the sounding rocket, was actually ABL’s third airborne target and its second airborne solid-fuel target engagement, according to MDA officials. The first was apparently quietly “destroyed” during a Feb. 3 flight test, according to MDA officials, though it is unclear why MDA
(Excerpt) Read more at aviationweek.com ...
This is a Terrier Black Brant Rocket. This was used in the test.
A phaser from “Star TreK”
Lasing terminated prior to its destruction. MDA officials nonetheless say this demonstration “met all its test criteria,” but they do not cite a reason why the target was not fully lased to destruction.
Wonder if they did this to recover the missile and examine the burn rate?
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