The illuminating laser tracks the target and provides aiming data for the primary beam. ABL TILL laser tracking systemĪ low-power, multiple beam, track illuminating laser (TILL), being developed by Raytheon Electronic Systems, is used to determine the target’s range and provides initial information on the atmosphere through which the beam is being transmitted. Beam pointing is achieved with very fast, lightweight steering mirrors, which are tilted to follow the target missile. The high-power beam passes through the fine beam control system mounted on a vibration isolated optical bench.
The pipe passes through a Station 1000 bulkhead / airlock, which separates the rear fuselage from the forward cabins. The high-power laser beam travels towards the front of the aircraft through a pipe. The primary laser beam is generated by a megawatt chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) located at the rear of the fuselage, which lases at 1.315 micron wavelength. The laser weapon uses three laser beam systems: the powerful killing laser beam or primary beam, a set of illuminating laser beams and a beacon laser. The ABL aircraft carries the COIL laser which generates the killer laser beam, an infrared surveillance and high speed target acquisition system and a high precision laser target tracking beam control system. “The ABL aircraft carries the COIL laser which generates the killer laser beam.” ABL COIL laser missile interceptor system
In February 2010, the US MDA and Boeing jointly tested the speed, precision and breakthrough potential of directed energy weapons deployed in the ABL test bed. In January 2010, the high energy laser was fired to intercept a test Missile Alternative Range Target Instrument (MARTI). The YAL 1A laser travels at the speed of light to destroy ballistic missiles in their boost phase of flight. In November 2008, the COIL laser was fired and focused through the beam control / fire control system.Ī high energy laser aboard the aircraft was successfully fired from the Edwards Air Force Base in August 2009. The test lasted less than a second and was followed by further ground tests of increased duration and power. The first firing (‘first light’) of the COIL laser took place in September 2008. Installation of the six COIL laser modules was completed in February 2008. This was followed by flight tests of the BILL illuminating laser and tests of TILL, BILL and a surrogate high-energy laser (SHEL) low-power laser.
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In February 2007, the ABL began a series of flight tests, which included the first in-flight firing of the TILL targeting laser at a simulated target, in March 2007. Airborne laser system flight and firing tests The BILL laser was delivered in January 2006. In August 2005, the ABL completed a series of flight tests demonstrating the performance of the beam and flight control systems. In November 2004, all six modules of the COIL laser were successfully fired for the first time. The aircraft returned to airworthiness flight testing in December 2004 following installation of the beam control / fire control system. After receiving airworthiness certification, the aircraft was flown to Edwards Air Force Base, California, in December 2002, for the installation of systems. In July 2002, the modified aircraft took the first of a series of test flights. Modification of the aircraft, involving installation of the turret in the aircraft’s nose and modifications to accept the laser, optics and computer hardware, was completed in May 2002. In April 2000 the ABL final critical design review was completed. During tests at TRW’s Capistrano test site in 1998, the laser demonstration module achieved a power level 10% higher than the requirement. In 1996, the Department of Defense awarded Team ABL a $1.1bn Programme Definition and Risk Reduction (PDRR) contract for the development and test of an airborne laser weapon system. The US Government has spent approximately $5.2bn on the ABL YAL 1A project till February 2011. The requirement of 10 to 20 modified Boeing 747s, at $1.5bn apiece, and $100m investment a year had made the maintenance of the ABL YAL 1A not operationally viable, making the US Air Force to stop raising funds for the laser.
The US Missile Defense Agency (previously called the Ballistic Missile Defence Organisation) is responsible for the management of the programme and it is executed by the USAF from Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “YAL-1A, is a high-energy laser weapon system for the destruction of tactical theatre ballistic missiles.”
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