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An Assessment of the Airborne Laser (ABL)

An Assessment of the Airborne Laser (ABL). Tao B. Schardl December 12, 2007. Outline. Overview of ABL System Description Technical Challenges Previous Development Recent Developments Schedule Budget Concept of Operations Program Assessment. Overview of ABL.

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An Assessment of the Airborne Laser (ABL)

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  1. An Assessment of the Airborne Laser (ABL) Tao B. Schardl December 12, 2007 Pictures from: (Left) http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/abl/index.html; (Reight) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_laser

  2. Outline • Overview of ABL • System Description • Technical Challenges • Previous Development • Recent Developments • Schedule • Budget • Concept of Operations • Program Assessment

  3. Overview of ABL • Ballistic Missile Defense System • Destroys TBMs from range with High-Powered Laser • Capable of Destroying TBMs during Boost Phase • Currently in prototyping phase Picture From: http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/abl/pics-clips/index.html

  4. System Description • Megawatt-class COIL • Beam Control/Fire Control System • Battle Management System • Nose-Mounted Turret • Active Ranging System

  5. Technical Challenges • Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser • Adaptive Optics • Cooperation between Beam Control/Fire Control/Battle Management Systems • Stable optical benches; “benchless” optical systems • Weight

  6. Previous Development • Airborne Laser Laboratory, 1980’s • Invention of COIL, 1977 • Project begins in November 1996 • Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman • Moved under MDA in 2001 • Adopted “capabilities-based” approach in 2002 • Program restructured in February 2004

  7. Recent Developments • 2005 – First motion of turret in flight • 2005 – Ground based demonstration of COIL • 2007 – Successful testing of beam control, fire control, and battle management systems in flight Image from: http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/abl/pics-clips/index.html

  8. Schedule • Block 2008 – Integrate COIL with aircraft and existing systems • Ground tests, flight tests • Lethality Demonstration, 2009 • Block 2010 – Design of second aircraft, initial fabrication of weapon components • Initial capability decided

  9. Budget • Traditionally well-funded by Congress • FY2008 – Bush Administration requested $548.8 million • House defense authorization bill decrease request to $298 million • Senate version placed request at $348 million • Recent demonstration in Congressional lack of faith in ABL • Favoring kinetic kill vehicles

  10. Concept of Operations • Number of aircraft to acquire • Number needed to effectively cover theater for extended time • Number needed to cover multiple theaters • Highly visible, lingering near enemy territory for extended periods of time • Need for many aerial refuelings • Use as anti-satellite weapon

  11. Program Assessment • Valuable for generated research in optics, lasers • Notable progress in project recently towards 2009 lethality demonstration • Serious CONOP problems • Losing support from Congress, MDA • Still much progress to make after completing first aircraft

  12. Questions?

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