Airborne Laser Aircraft

Northrop Grumman Begins Integrating Megawatt-Class Laser Onto Missile Defense Agency's Airborne Laser Aircraft

Northrop Grumman Corporation, along with industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), have begun re-assembly of the world's most powerful laser built for an airborne environment onto MDA's Airborne Laser (ABL) aircraft to prepare for high-power system testing.

The integration is taking place at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., following a refurbishment by the company that involved the disassembly and inspection of the high-energy Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) after the successful conclusion of ground tests in 2005.

During those tests, the laser demonstrated repeatability of sufficient power and duration to shoot down a ballistic missil