Airborne Laser prepares for flight tests

October 28, 2006 The U.S. Missile Defense Agency rolled out the Airborne Laser (ABL) aircraft for the first time yesterday during a ceremony marking major program achievements on several fronts. When finished, ABL will be capable of destroying a ballistic missile during its boost phase, while it is still climbing in the Earth’s atmosphere and before it can deploy its warheads – all at the speed of light. The Northrop Grumman-developed high-energy laser, which achieved lethal power and run-times in a ground laboratory in 2005, will be installed in the ABL aircraft in 2007 to prepare for the program’s missile shoot-down test in 2008.

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