Report Questions Value of Airborne Laser

The Physical Science Academy issued a report recently that questions the effectiveness of the planned U.S. Airborne Laser against ICBMs launched from Iran and solid-fuel missiles, United Press International reported last week (see GSN, Dec. 13, 2005).

“If the ABL achieves its postulated performance, it would be capable of defending the entire United States from liquid-propellant (intercontinental ballistic missiles) launched by North Korea,” according to the study by a team of engineers and physicists.

However, it could not afford the same protection against a missile coming from Iran, as the Boeing 747 carrying the laser could only fly over a limited area above the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

The laser might also not be effective against the tougher solid-fuel ICBMs, the report states. “Defense by the ABL against solid-propellant missiles from North Korea, Iraq or Iran does not seem possible,” it says.

Boeing Airborne Laser program manager Greg Hyslop countered that “the power levels we have demonstrated are lethal against all classes of ballistic missile,” according to the Post-Dispatch.

A shoot-down exercise of the Airborne Laser is expected to be conducted in 2008 (United Press International, Jan. 3).

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