America first fired laser weapons from aircraft

The US military has just conducted the first test of an airborne laser weapon system (ABL) on a Boeing 747 heavy aircraft.

The Boeing 747 of the US Air Force carries ABL laser weapons.Photo: USAF.

ABL laser weapons are designed with the aim of destroying enemy ballistic missiles right from the first stage they are launched. The engineers tested this special weapon on the ground, which fired lasers from a turret mounted on a dedicated Boeing 747 plane and aimed at a hypothetical target.

In September, engineers fired high-energy lasers into a calorimeter mounted on a plane. But this is the first time this light beam weapon has been launched along the system length on the Boeing 747. This ground test was carried out by the US Missile Defense Agency at Edwards Air Force Base. , California State.

In the experiment, the laser travels along the length of the heavy aircraft with a tremendous speed of one billion km / h. It runs from the head of the system at the rear of the aircraft, through a laser beam control system, the control system launches and fires from the special turret attached to the tip of the plane to the target.

"The team has now completed two key milestones in line with expectations, keeping the ABL weapons program planned," said Scott Fancher, research manager for Boeing's missile defense system. , in order to test the firing of laser weapons by non-destroying ballistic missiles in 2009 ".

According to the design, the mechanism of ABL weaponry is to illuminate enemy missiles with a detection laser, while the computer system measures the distance and calculates its path. After the laser hits the target, a second powerful laser is also fired from the tip of the Boeing 747. Its heat pressures the rocket's fuel tank, causing it to explode.

Simulation of the mechanism of the ABL ballistic anti-ballistic laser weapon system on a Boeing 747. Photo: Ausairpower.

Laser weapons destroy ballistic missiles during their acceleration phase so there are many advantages. Then the missiles are radiating heat to launch and facilitate the laser to find the right target. According to the report of the American Physical Society in 2004, ABL laser weapons can destroy a liquid intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from a distance of 600 km. But it will be more difficult when they intercept missiles using solid fuel.

The aforementioned high-energy laser weapon was built by Northrop Grumman with the aim of destroying all types of ballistic missiles, including tactical (TBM) ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Its energy works include chemicals that can be found in normal bleach, hydrogen peroxide and potassium hydroxide, combined with chlorine and water.

The multi-billion dollar ABL laser weapons research program was launched by the United States more than 12 years ago. Engineers are also working on using this laser laser cannon to shoot down other flying weapons such as surface-to-air missiles, cruise missiles and even enemy aircraft.