amazing aircraft: Airborne Laser

[Paul Leeks]

what a cool plane!!

using a 747-400 aircraft and a laser that is being developed at the moment,imagine what they might have in the in the future??

I wonder what the pro's and con's of this system are??
goto the Boeing website and check this plane out

JayUtah I bet you can inform me on this one!

Paul L

[Kaptain K]

A link would be nice!

[01101001]

Wikipedia: Boeing YAL-1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1)

If the ABL achieves its design goals, it could destroy liquid-fueled ICBMs up to 600 km away. Tougher solid-fueled ICBM destruction range would likely be limited to 300 km [...]

Boeing: Airborne Laser (ABL) Gallery (http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/abl/pics-clips/index-gallery02.html)

I'm sure it cooks a mean super-gigantic bag of Jiffy Pop popcorn. (Cultural reference: IDbM "Real Genius" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089886/).)

[Stuart van Onselen]

If that thing ever fries as much as a pigeon, I'll be really impressed!

Very ambitious, very over budget, very late, and of dubious military benefit (short range, many planes needed to cover a reasonable area, each plane very expensive, laser fuel expensive and highly toxic)

The ABL is better seen as a research project, useless on its own, but a necessary step in the arduous process of developing a viable battlefield* laser.

*) Not counting targeting lasers, of course, which are plentiful and very useful.

[BigDon]

Thanks Stuart, I agree.

Survivable as a WWI French tank. The ones that ran on white gas.

[captain swoop]

Thanks Stuart, I agree.

Suvivable as a WWI French tank. The ones that ran on white gas.

Why wouldn't it be survivable? Can you think of where it would operate that would pose aviable Air Threat against it? Why would it be any less survivable than an AWACS or Tanker?

[BigDon]

I believe its the 5000 gallons of 100% hydrogen peroxide and liquid sodium hydrocloride, which makes even a hard bounce a crisis.

[Larry Jacks]

The old joke in the Air Force goes,

Q: "What is the Russian word for AWACS?"
A: Target

That would likely go double for a plane like the Airborne Laser. In order to kill a missile in the boost phase, you have to be fairly close to the launch site. The closer you are, the more vulnerable you are to fighters and long range SAMs. For the Airborne Laser to work, it may well have to be much closer to enemy than an AWACS or a tanker. Add to that the fact that a 747 isn't exactly the most agile platform out there and the laser propellant is nasty, nasty stuff.

[BigDon]

Wait, I think I meant sodium hydroxide

[BigDon]

What's the by product of that? Besides laser light. And what do they do with it?

[NEOWatcher]

using a 747-400 aircraft and a laser that is being developed at the moment,imagine what they might have in the in the future??
At the moment? It's been going on for quite a while. I remember an article about it years ago, and it's in mention here in a 4 year old post.

I don't see it as a topic of discussion, so I guess this is as good a time as any to start a thread.

Is there some new development on this?

[BigDon]

Correct me Mr. Jacks,

But wouldn't one very likely opfor be the Russians? They are not the North Koreans, Afghanis, Libyans, or the Iraqis. They're the Russians.

Somebodies going to get hurt. Especially if it's escalated to this point. And I'm talking about folks in the studio audiance.

I'd give them a life span of about six sorties per airframe in those conditions once the Soviets learned what they were. Same as if the reverse was true.

[mugaliens]

what a cool plane!!

using a 747-400 aircraft and a laser that is being developed at the moment,imagine what they might have in the in the future??

Paul L

A smaller, more powerful that's light enough to be carried in a C-130.

[BigDon]

Hey Mugs, I'm not asking would you if ordered, but would you "volunteer" to fly that thing into combat against somebody ICBM capable?

Can't see you leaping out of your chair with your hand raised like Horseshak for that one!

I give the world a month until a specific, beam-riding SAM is on a CAD program somewhere.

[korjik]

Wait, I think I meant sodium hydroxide

potassium hydroxide according to Wiki.

[BigDon]

potassium hydroxide according to Wiki.

Oh Whew! It that case I'll have mine over ice cream. :)

[RalofTyr]

In Future Dogfights, a show on THC, the giant laser was used in a coordinated attack against enemy fighters with F-22 coverage. Lasers might just be the future of aerial combat. It moves at the speed of light and has a good range or a range equal to that of a missile. And it can destroy incoming missiles. Might be a wonder weapon.

I also laughed at that program was American jets seemed to have a shield system around them in which they never got hit. Amazing.

[BigDon]

Ral!

That's a secret! :shhh:

[Trebuchet]

A smaller, more powerful that's light enough to be carried in a C-130.

Already in work, though not more powerful:
http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2008/q2/080519a_nr.html

[Donnie B.]

Oh Whew! It that case I'll have mine over ice cream. :)Tastes like blonde bananas.

[Zachary]

Tastes like blonde bananas.

Funny, mine just tastes of pain :(

[BigDon]

Zach, you have to let it "breathe" for a bit.