US Successfully Shoots Down Missile Using High-Powered Laser
Posted by Jim Hoft on Friday, February 12, 2010, 4:47 AM
Wild. The US used a high-powered laser weapon to shoot down a missile yesterday in a test off Ventura in central California.
Reuters reported:
A U.S. high-powered airborne laser weapon shot down a ballistic missile in the first successful test of a futuristic directed energy weapon, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Friday.
The agency said in a statement the test took place at 8:44 p.m. PST (11:44 p.m. EST) on Thursday /0444 GMT on Friday) at Point Mugu’s Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division Sea Range off Ventura in central California.
“The Missile Defense Agency demonstrated the potential use of directed energy to defend against ballistic missiles when the Airborne Laser Testbed (ALTB) successfully destroyed a boosting ballistic missile” the agency said.
The high-powered Airborne Laser system is being developed by Boeing Co., the prime contractor, and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
Boeing produces the airframe, a modified 747 jumbo jet, while Northrop Grumman supplies the higher-energy laser and Lockheed Martin is developing the beam and fire control systems.
“This was the first directed energy lethal intercept demonstration against a liquid-fuel boosting ballistic missile target from an airborne platform,” the agency added.
Closing Velocity has more on the historic test.
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Published May 24, 2012 at 8:46 pm - 60 Comments
apodoca commented:
I wonder if the Chinese have stolen that yet?
Kenny Solomon commented:
Obama’s already ordered the next test.
Target: The main room at CPAC.
Time: During Glenn Beck’s speech.
Duration: Until not even one molecule of anything rermains that’s Conservative or patriotic.
You know at leat one person in this damnable administration thought of it too.
KLS
Andreas K. commented:
I want one as personal defense weapon.
And the Chinese don’t steal. They just collect their debts.
Blackice commented:
Can’t tolerate this, we must cut funding to these unproven weapons systems NOW!
BigAlSouth commented:
Obama should have gone on television and delivered a speech “with its Unity and God’s Grace” that the US was about to deliver a blow to the nuclear “arrogance” of Iran in a way that “will leave them stunned.”
Should have.
Tom63010 commented:
This is another great accomplishment by the Obama Administration. I can’t wait for them to have their Daily Press Conference to take credit for it. Hopefully Gibbs will write it down on the palm of his hand so he won’t forget.
Seriously, this is a great testament to Ronald Reagan and his vision. God truly blessed the United States when we were led by Ronald Reagan.
Militant Conservative commented:
Don’t worry, Obama WILL take credit AND screw it up too. It is what he does.
RedBeard commented:
Hmmm…. seems like it was just yesterday when the screaming libs were calling Reagan an idiot for proposing something like this……
squeaky commented:
i wonder what ever happened to the “department of peace” that so many of our
politicos signed on for? never mind that the concept of peace means different things to different people – according to nonie darwish
it means a sign of defeat to jihaddis. when you mistake a wild animal as a pet while they view you as lunch.
Bill Mitchell commented:
Of course, Obama will cancel funding for this program. He said in a speech that he would end all funding for modern weapons systems.
He has already canceled both of our advanced fighter programs so that we can rely upon 30 year old fighter technology while the Russians and Chinese spend every last dime building advanced technology.
Expect to hear of this being canceled shortly.
Fighters? – NO.
Lasers? – NO.
Space? – NO.
Huge Breaks On Healthcare for Unions? – Oh you betcha!
Jack Okie commented:
This is an historic milestone. Too bad the Obama administration canceled the second ABL and has relegated the current ABL back to R&D only.
From Closing Velocity:
http://tinyurl.com/yzevycc
I missed this when it happened last year.
Bill Mitchell commented:
I have long believed that the whole terrorism/jihad thing is simply a ruse.
The real power behind jihad is China/Russia. Their goal is to distract us, drain our resources and convince our leaders to spend money on developing systems that can combat terrorism and not fight traditional warfare (planes, tanks, laser weapons, etc.)
Once we have hamstrung ourselves and China/Russia have built up their arsenals, they attack.
You think America could not be defeated by a joint onslaught from Russia/China? Think again.
1. Create a crisis in the Middle East causing us to dispatch most of our aircraft carriers and troops to the region.
2. Explode EMP’s over our Middle Eastern forces rendering them useless.
3. Smuggle nuclear weapons into our major US cities to be set off simultaneously (which can be blamed on the terrorists – so we do not respond my nuking China/Russia – no inbound missiles detected).
4. Hack our satellites so that they do not see the approaching armada.
5. Attack the US Mainland which is thinly defended by National Guard Troops and a citizenry that has had their guns taken from them by our own government.
It doesn’t take a genius to see this coming. It also doesn’t take a genius to consider the possibility that Obama is in on the whole thing. I mean, hell, they need someone to run the country after they take over and who better than the ever-charming Obama?
Opus #6 commented:
I’m surprised Obama allowed this test.
avery commented:
Ronald Reagan-Star War a man with a Vision.
Bugz commented:
Isn’t this the program that Obama has already cancelled?
http://www.afa.org/edop/2009/ABL%20Lyles–Washington%20Examiner.pdf
Lord knows we don’t need anything like this at this point in history. *spit*
Kate commented:
Obama only cut the budget. At least thats what i was told by someone i know who works on the project. But now it sounds like they might get their budget back. This link has more about the test.
http://research.tdameritrade.com/public/markets/news/story.asp?docKey=100-043p3308-1&clauses=
Joanne commented:
Very cool.
daryl commented:
I always wondered if the North Korean missle test that fizzled on the launch pad a couple of years ago didn’t get this little light shone on it.
Guy commented:
I heard this is what the Bush administration used to take the World Trade Center down …
Tom commented:
Of course, no one would ever fake the results of a test like that. Never ever ever.