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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
