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| Airborne Laser (ABL) |
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Northrop
Grumman is a member of a team selected by the U.S. Air Force
to develop and demonstrate a revolutionary new weapon system-Airborne
Laser (ABL). Team ABL includes the Missile Defense Agency
(MDA), USAF, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.
Northrop Grumman is designing and developing the system's
Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) and the Beacon Illuminator
Laser (BILL). Boeing, the team leader, is responsible for
weapon system integration and supplies the 747-400F aircraft
and BMC4I-battle management, command, control, communications,
computers and intelligence. Lockheed Martin supplies the Beam
Control/Fire Control system.
ABL is one part of a layered ballistic missile defense system
that addresses the world's growing ballistic missile threat.
In the near term, only ABL can destroy hostile missiles while
they are still in the highly vulnerable boost phase of flight-before
separation of the warheads. ABL will operate above the clouds,
where it will autonomously detect and track missiles as they
are launched, using an onboard surveillance system. The Beam
Control/Fire Control system will acquire the target, then
accurately point and fire the laser with sufficient energy
to destroy the missile.
The Northrop Grumman laser will use common industrial chemicals
to create ABL's lethal beam. The laser's fundamental building
block is a laser module. Six LMs will be linked in series
to achieve ABL's megawatt-class power. Built of advanced,
lightweight materials, the laser is designed for simple, safe
operations and maintenance.
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