First Light (Airborne AntiMissle Defense System)

Found this story on CNN

U.S. airborne laser advances to 'First Light'


"WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- A Boeing Co.-led team has successfully fired for the first time a powerful laser meant to fly aboard a modified 747 as part of a U.S. ballistic missile defense shield, officials said on Friday."

www.cnn.com...

My question is since this thing fires a basketball size point of heat, could it, would it, be used for other "tactical" strikes?



Imagine what would happen if you could focus this on a house...or a car..or a person---this also reminds me of Under Seige 2 with the satellite generated earthquakes....
(I know..it's a movie, but still)....
Thoughts?

Forgot the link...sorry

[edit on 16-11-2004 by NetStorm]

NetStorm,
I dont really see this going any where just yet. The beam only lasted a second and the system is very large. From what the artical said that is only a part of a very large budget for balastic missle difence. The Gov did the same thing in the 80s. Although there was some intaeresting technology devolped, it did not realy pan out. Seems kina like we are going through the same thing again.

Allready posted twice.

first one

second one

Thankfully from what ive read up on about this type of tech from articles posted online, it seems as though their needs to be some advances made in the area of size and power usage for these new Laser weapons. The fist such prototype was scrapped as it was far to heavy to mount on even the legendary B-52's.

This test was the fist time all of the individual lasers were mounted and used in tandem with each other, and does pose a great advantage over any current anti-projectile defense systems. I would think that it will take several billion dollars and maybe at least another 5-10 years before this tech is rolled out for military application in the field, such as retrofitting it to current attack vehicles. As it is tho, it would make a great addition to any aircraft carriers in an effort to ward off attacks by the notorious Sunburn- soviet design missiles.

I would be very worried indeed tho if they start talking about putting such systems into service on satellites, tho I think this is still quite a remote possibility because of the power supply needed to make them effective.

It continues to suprise me just how many science fiction type weapons and defense sysytems are being produced and tested that in the early 90's were pure theoretical fiction. What next, mass teleportation systems for the bulk movement of military troops and supplies? I think they may even have some projects up and running for that already.

Do you have any knowledge of the specs or results of this test? for example would such a system be capable of targeting and striking first strike weapons such as the sunburn which travels at velocities exceeding Mach 2.0? also any data on the kind of distances these lasers can reach would be a key factor in their use, it would be no good destroying targets only 10-100km away, it would need a much greater range to be cost effective and practicable. Thanks for bringing the subject up, it really does fascinate me

Originally posted by Murcielago
Allready posted twice.

first one

second one

Sorry I did a search on First Light- Airborne Laser, etc ...no results...

I apologize for the entry

I think there is much more promise for these systems that ballistic intercept on target systems. Good comment about their use on Aircraft carriers...a few of these babies and no missle if going to get through to them.