Airborne lasers, high-energy weapons made of beams containing light, are used to destroy targets such tactical ballistic Missiles (TBMs), other aircraft, and drones. These systems have been in development for several decades and have shown promise as a weapon that can be used against both land and air targets.
Lockheed Martin is currently working on an airborne laser pod that will be able to be mounted on fighter jets and deployed in the field. The system will include a laser developed by the company, a beam control system built by Northrop Grumman and a pod made by Boeing. The Self-Protect High-Energy Laser Demonstrator Program Advanced Technology Demonstrator Program is responsible for the design, development and manufacture of these systems.
The process of developing an airborne laser can be complex. For many years, the Air Force has been involved in building such systems. In 1981, the Air Force tested a COIL-powered airborne laser mounted on a modified Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. It destroyed five AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and a BQM-334 cruise missile drone.
The YAL-1A tactical aerial laser weapon system has been developed by Team ABL and the Air Force Research Laboratory. This team includes Boeing, TRW (now Northrop Grumman Space Technologies), Lockheed Martin, and TRW. A modified Boeing 747-400F freighter will house the laser module as well as an integrated target acquisition and beam control system.
Its first test flight was scheduled for late this year, but the Air Force has pushed back the initial deployment to 2023. This delay is partially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused many aerospace companies to slow down their work.
One of the key challenges to developing a tactical airborne laser weapon is that it will need to be able to detect and track the target. It will need an infrared targeting device to achieve this. Infrared technology is hard to develop in a laboratory setting. Military pilots will have to extensively test it.
Another issue is the need to create an infrared-pointing and tracking system that can handle large laser energy. This will require a lot more investment and R&D in designing the optics that can handle the high-energy beams of lasers and direct them to their intended targets.
These issues make it difficult for an airborne laser to be launched on the ground. However, there have been many studies that have shown how to combine kinetic weapons and lasers to improve their effectiveness. These studies have gotten the attention of the U.S. Army, which has commissioned 50-kW airborne lasers and is considering commissioning a 300-kW version as well.
The Air Force is also testing a simulated gun in a virtual reality wargame. This is part of the Air Force's broader efforts to build a virtual testing environment for weapon systems development.
Although the Air Force isn't yet able to successfully deploy a Podded Laser Weapon, it is trying to make these systems more efficient by using other types and expanding their range. They will be able transmit that information back to the manufacturers.