Friday - February 12, 2010

Zapper zaps, but is still zapped

Missile Defense Agency news release

10-NEWS-0002
February 11, 2010
Airborne Laser Testbed Successful in Lethal Intercept Experiment

The Missile Defense Agency demonstrated the potential use of directed energy to defend against ballistic missiles when the Airborne Laser Testbed (ALTB) successfully destroyed a boosting ballistic missile. The experiment, conducted at Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division Sea Range off the central California coast, serves as a proof-of-concept demonstration for directed energy technology. The ALTB is a pathfinder for the nation’s directed energy program and its potential application for missile defense technology.

At 8:44 p.m. (PST), February 11, 2010, a short-range threat-representative ballistic missile was launched from an at-sea mobile launch platform. Within seconds, the ALTB used onboard sensors to detect the boosting missile and used a low-energy laser to track the target. The ALTB then fired a second low-energy laser to measure and compensate for atmospheric disturbance. Finally, the ALTB fired its megawatt-class High Energy Laser, heating the boosting ballistic missile to critical structural failure. The entire engagement occurred within two minutes of the target missile launch, while its rocket motors were still thrusting.

This was the first directed energy lethal intercept demonstration against a liquid-fuel boosting ballistic missile target from an airborne platform. The revolutionary use of directed energy is very attractive for missile defense, with the potential to attack multiple targets at the speed of light, at a range of hundreds of kilometers, and at a low cost per intercept attempt compared to current technologies.

Less than one hour later, a second solid fuel short-range missile was launched from a ground location on San Nicolas Island, Calif. and the ALTB successfully engaged the boosting target with its High Energy Laser, met all its test criteria, and terminated lasing prior to destroying the second target. The ALTB destroyed a solid fuel missile, identical to the second target, in flight on February 3, 2010.

Hey, isn’t this one of the “Star Wars” ideas of Reagan that every Dem in America thought was such a waste of money? Like that missile shield thingy, that turned out to work pretty well too.

This one has been under development for quite a few years, and had survived budget battle after battle.

h/t to Rich K, who pointed me to this blog, which has thermal video. And another article that shows this isn’t the first successful test either. That blog also reminds us, alas, that this is the ONE AND ONLY airborne laser system, because Obama cut the budget for it and several other functional SDI systems. Just as Iran develops ICBMs and is this close to admitting they’ve got nukes.

I have no idea what the range on this thing is. A couple miles? A couple of hundred miles? That is seriously classified. Sure would be nice to fly around in the western Pacific, or the northern Indian ocean, and be able to silently, invisibly knock down missiles as they launch.

And it’s nice that this one works, because the other anti-missile missile system is having a few teething problems right now.



It’s a damn shame this project was aborted in the 3rd trimester. And I had such a bitchin’ colloquial name for the thing too ...

Posted by Drew458     on 02/12/2010 at 04:56 PM   
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