Laser Blaster Gunships Closer to Flight Test

quote:

Boeing has fired a high-energy chemical laser aboard a C-130H aircraft in ground tests for the first time, achieving a key milestone for the Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration program.

The successful laser firing occurred May 13 at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

"First firing of the high-energy laser aboard the ATL aircraft shows that the program continues to make good progress toward giving the warfighter an ultra-precision engagement capability that will dramatically reduce collateral damage," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems.

After conducting a series of additional laser tests on the ground and in the air, the program will fire the chemical laser in-flight at mission-representative ground targets. The test team will fire the laser through a rotating turret that extends through the aircraft's belly.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Sgt_Schlappy,

Your information is wrong. I am very familiar with the project and the test crew are people I fly with. Boeing isn't even the people doing the test. I don't know what your source is, but this time it is dead wrong.

caninedale,

You might understand this...

Years ago when hubby was a FS/CC, a graduated, retired and went to work for Raytheon FS/CC called him on the phone one day wanting to 'do lunch' and talk about new missile systems for the A-10. He begged off as nicely as he could after he heard the subject matter.

He came home that night and told me how much respect he had lost for the guy that he had worked and flown with for many years. It wasn't at all that he was now working for a defense contractor, it was that he was talking about missile systems that had already been OFF of the AF's radar scopes for nearly a year.

"I don't EVER want to be THAT guy" is what has rang true ever since.

quote:

Originally posted by caninedale:
Your information is wrong. I am very familiar with the project and the test crew are people I fly with. Boeing isn't even the people doing the test. I don't know what your source is, but this time it is dead wrong.

If you weren't so lazy, and actually moved your finger 2cm and clicked on the link I provided, then you would know my source.

I did click your link. You have an enthusiast forum with a bunch of folks talking out their asses. I hope your other links are more legit than that one. You sure seem to love copy and pasting from websites...wonder how much else of what you paste is garbage?

Caninedale,

I don't know if the information is reliable or not, but the article is talking about the ATL not the ABL.
Big differance in the 2 weapons systems. The ATL or "Advanced Tatical Laser" is a C-130 borne laser for shooting at ground targets. The ABL or "Airborne Balistic Laser" is a 747 borne laser for shooting down ICBM's and possibly hostile aircraft.
Don't know which of these your friends work with but, I do know that the ABL has done a ground fire test of the main laser last year some time, and some air fire tests of it differant targeting and tracking lasers late last year and early this year and won't be doing an air test of its main laser for at least a couple of more years.

I am referring to the ATL which was sitting on the DOE ramp at Kirtland last week while I was there with "ET" on the tail. It is a test being run by the 46th test wing from Eglin, though the crews that fly it are stationed at Hurlburt.

The article is legit, Boeing also issued an official press release.

I won't hold my breath, but I'll be around when you're ready to make an apology canine.

How about meeting me there next month when I go TDY for the ATL project. I am now on the test team.

So, you're stating that Boeing is not involved with this project in any way, or had anything to do with the ATL test whatsoever? They just made it all up, right??

BTW, I appreciate the offer...and I may just take you up on it.

Boeing is developing the project, the AF is doing the operational testing.

So, basically, this whole argument is just over the mincing of words?

"Boeing is testing their technology using Air Force personnel"...(or)..."Air Force personnel is testing Boeing technology."

That about right?

ATL Aircraft Fires High-Power Laser in Flight

(Source: Boeing Co.; issued June 15, 2009)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- The Boeing Company and the U.S. Air Force on June 13 successfully fired the high-power laser aboard the Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) aircraft for the first time in flight.

During the test, ATL took off from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and fired its laser while flying over White Sands Missile Range, N.M., successfully hitting a target board located on the ground. ATL, which Boeing is developing for the U.S. Air Force, is a C-130H aircraft equipped with a chemical laser, a beam control system, sensors and weapon-system consoles.

"This successful test is a major step toward bringing directed energy capability to the warfighter," said Gary Fitzmire, vice president and program director of Boeing Directed Energy Systems. "We have demonstrated that an airborne system can fire a high-power laser in flight and deliver laser beam energy to a ground target. ATL's ultra-precision engagement capability will dramatically reduce collateral damage."

More tests are planned to demonstrate ATL's military utility. The system is designed to destroy, damage or disable targets with little to no collateral damage. These demonstrations support development of systems that will conduct missions on the battlefield and in urban operations.

The Boeing-led ATL industry team includes L-3 Communications/Brashear, which built the laser turret; HYTEC Inc., which made a variety of the weapon system's structural elements; and J.B. Henderson, which provides mechanical integration support.

Boeing leads the way in developing laser systems for a variety of Air Force, Army and Navy applications. These include the Airborne Laser, the Free Electron Laser, the High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator, Laser Avenger, the Re-deployable High Energy Laser System and the Tactical Relay Mirror System.



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Interesting article. Oddly the article doesn't mention the plane had to IFE into a divert base after the laser fired.

If you find that mentioned somewhere, I'd love to read about it.

PM me and I will give you an interesting story.

Advanced Tactical Laser Aircraft Fires High-Power Laser in Flight

(Source: U.S Air Force; issued June 19, 2009)

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --- Members of the 413th Flight Test Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., and contractor Boeing recently successfully fired the high-power laser aboard the Advanced Tactical Laser aircraft for the first time in flight.

The combined effort between Boeing and the 413th was instrumental to the "first light" of the high power ATL.

"This successful test is a major step toward bringing directed energy capability to the warfighter," said Gary Fitzmire, vice president and program director of Boeing's Directed Energy Systems. "We have demonstrated that an airborne system can fire a high-power laser in flight and deliver laser beam energy to a ground target."

During the test, the specially modified 46th Test Wing NC-130H aircraft equipped with the ATL weapon system took off from Kirtland and fired its laser while flying over White Sands Missile Range, N.M., successfully hitting a target board located on the ground. ATL is equipped with a chemical laser, a beam control system, sensors and weapon-system consoles.

"We have taken technology from the laboratory to reality and have now demonstrated that directed energy is on a path toward a safe and viable option for the warfighter with very unique capabilities," said Eric Van Dorn, 413th FLTS lead flight test engineer.

More tests are planned to demonstrate ATL's military utility. The system is designed to damage, disable or destroy targets with little to no collateral damage. These demonstrations support development of systems that will conduct missions on the battlefield and in urban operations.

"The time and effort from the entire team exhibited the cooperation and professionalism between the U. S. Air Force and Boeing. The culmination of this event is fantastic," said Master Sgt. Scott Wollitz, mission flight engineer. "I feel extremely fortunate to have been a part of the crew for this test. The laser shot was amazing!"

The ATL program is managed by the 687th Armament Systems Squadron, which is part of the 308th Armament Systems Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., and supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland.

"It's another case of science fiction becoming reality," said Maj. James Stahl, 413th FLTS test pilot. "As a kid growing up I was fascinated by the lasers in the movie Star Wars; to be the first to fire this laser in flight is truly an honor."


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A modified NC-130H equipped with the Advanced Tactical Laser (see ball under forward fuselage) hit a ground target at White Sands Missile Range last week. (USAF photo)

Here is a video from the local news station of the laser firing.

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/milita..._weapon_200910042254

A photo from the official press release.

BTW..another good program that will probably get canceled.

I flew on the last live fire two weeks ago. I was indeed the last sortie. The plane will be demodded and sent to the bone yard. It is on a waiver for a PDM. Cost is over a million dollars. AFMC doesn't want to spend the money on it, and neither does boeing.