Ahead of its time Lessons learned from Airborne Laser program will help shape future of directed energy technology By Eric Fetters-Walp Wthe Arizona desert earlier this manager for several years. it was retired, the laser lab destroyed fiveKC-135 to test a small gas-dynamic laserin its Airborne Laser Lab program. BeforeMany of the Boeing employees whoSystems and the Airborne Laser’s programhen a distinctly bulbous-nosed747 landed on a cloudy day in year, it closed out a two-decades-long developed the Airborne Laser, along with AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and a experiment that pushed forward the colleagues from Lockheed Martin and Navy BQM-34A target drone in tests. possibilities of laser defense. Northrop Grumman, say the program While the first proposals for the The Airborne Laser Test Bed, a modified was unlike anything else on which Airborne Laser Test Bed program were 747-400 carrying a large chemical laser, they’ve worked. prepared in the early 1990s, it gained may now sit in storage. But the program “It was exciting. There were lots of official footing in 1996 when the Air Force left a legacy of not only technology that’s struggles, technically and programmatically, awarded a development contract to the being used in Boeing’s continuing directed but it was a great challenge and a very Boeing-led team. Boeing was tasked with energy programs but also a group of rewarding time,” said Richard Flanders, providing the aircraft, battle management talented engineers adding value to a former program manager for the Airborne systems, overall systems integration and variety of programs across the company. Laser Test Bed. “It stretched people, and testing. Northrop Grumman provided the “There is a realization, even if you I think they really enjoyed that.” megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine weren’t an Airborne Laser fan, that there The idea of an aircraft-mounted laser did laser, or COIL, and associated targeting was technology and lessons learned we not start with the Airborne Laser program lasers. Lockheed Martin developed the should hold onto for the future,” said Mike in the 1990s. From the mid-1970s through beam and fire control systems. Rinn, vice president of Directed Energy 1984, the U.S. Air Force modified a Boeing Once the Airborne Laser Test Bed 28 BOEING FRONTIERS / AUGUST 2012
Frontiers August 2012 Issue
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