A ir B orne L aser C/3 Jonathan Kim February 13, 2004

OVERVIEW  History  AirBorne Laser (ABL)  ABL Laser System  Conclusion

HISTORY  Edward Teller, world-renowned expert in thermonuclear energy Envisioned large aircraft armed with high-powered lasers  KC-135A originally used ALL (Airborne Laser Laboratory) Carbon dioxide dynamic laser Shot down first target – a towed drone – May 2, 1981 July 26, 1983 – shot down five sidewinder air-to-air missles Showed that laser mounted aircraft could be a formidable defensive weapon Returned in 1984  Viewed as impractical  Laser was too bulky; was dependent on external power source; did not generate enough power to be effective at extended ranges After Saddam Hussein started using Scuds at US troops and its allies in Persian Gulf War, concept of air-to-air missile was revitalized  Received $1.1 billion contract for development in 1996  Boeing F  Flown to Edwards AFB on December 2002 for installments  Will be fully operational along with seven other aircraft by 2008

ABL YAL-1A

AirBorne Laser (ABL)  Boeing F  Carries COIL Laser Infrared Surveillance High speed target acquisition system High precision laser target tracking beam control system  Designed to detect and destroy ballistic missiles in its boost phase of flight immediately after missile is launched  Flies at an altitude of 40,000 ft  Detection of ballistic missiles First detected by reconnaissance system Data transferred to ABL ABL searches and destroys  Able to shoot down missiles before having to re-supply hydrogen peroxide

ABL LASER SYSTEM  Killing Laser Beam / Primary Beam (COIL) Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser  Hydrogen peroxide, potassium chloride, chlorine gas, water  Number of times more powerful than ALL’s gas dynamic laser  Much more compact  Internal source power  Capable of producing lethal beam over long distance  Operates at infrared wavelength of microns Located at rear end of fuselage

ABL LASER SYSTEM  Tracking Illuminating Laser Beams (TILL) Determines target’s range Provies initial information about atmosphere Provides aiming data for primary beam  Beacon Illuminating Laser (BILL) Provides data of rapidly changing characteristics of the atmosphere along the path of the laser Gives the laser a “clear” view

OPERATION

CONCLUSION  History  ABL Laser System

QUESTIONS