Airborne lasers are high energy weapons that use light beams to target aircraft and drones. These weapons are in development for decades and can be used against air and ground targets.
Lockheed Martin is working on an airborne, laser-equipped pod that can be mounted to fighter jets or deployed in the field. The system will include a Boeing pod, Northrop Grumman's beam control systems and a laser that Lockheed Martin has developed. These systems are part of the Self-Protect Higher Energy Laser Demonstrator Program Advanced Technology Demonstrator Program.
Developing an airborne laser is a complex process and the Air Force has been in the business of building these types of systems for a long time. It first tested a COIL airborne laser in 1981 that was mounted on a modified Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, and it destroyed five AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and a BQM-34 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 747F freighter, the YAL-1A tactical airborne laser weapon system, will house the laser module.
Its first test flight was due to take place in the latter part of 2018, but the Air Force has now delayed the initial deployment by 2023. Partly, this delay is due to a COVID-19 epidemic that has caused slowdowns in many aerospace companies.
A tactical airborne laser weapon must be capable of tracking and detecting the target. This is one of the biggest challenges in designing a tactical airborne laser weapon. An infrared targeting system is required to enable it to detect and track the target. It is not easy to develop infrared tracking in a laboratory environment. This process will need extensive testing by military pilots.
Another issue is that an infrared pointing and tracking system has to be built that can handle the large energy output of these lasers. This requires significant investment in R&D and investment in optics to be able take high-energy beams and direct them towards their intended targets.
These challenges have made it hard to fly an airborne laser on the ground. There have been numerous studies done to see how to combine kinetic weapons with lasers to increase 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 a larger effort by the Air Force to create virtual environments for weapon system testing.
The Air Force hasn’t been able successfully deploy a podded weapon laser, but it is still working on ways to make them more effective. They are also experimenting with different types of laser weapons and expanding the range. These tests will ultimately help the service choose the type of laser weapon it will deploy and will allow them to share that information with the manufacturing community.