Advanced Laser on C-130H

[Razor61]

You'll have B747 ABL's orbiting destroying air targets and now you will have an AC-130 gunship carrying a laser!


SOURCE:Flightglobal.com
Boeing installs laser weapon on C-130
By Stephen Trimble
PICTURE:
http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getAsset.aspx?ItemID=20792
Boeing moved closer earlier this month to realizing a seven-year goal to
demonstrate a high-powered laser as a weapon aboard a Lockheed Martin
C-130H.
The Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL), including its 12,000lb integrated module
was integrated on the aircraft on 4 December. The combined system also was
aligned with the beam control system.
Boeing plans to demonstrate the combined system in 2008 for the US Special
Operations Command, completing an advanced concept technology demonstration
project begun in 2001.
“Next year, we will fire the laser at ground targets, demonstrating the
military utility of this transformational directed energy weapon,” Scott
Fancher, VP and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems, said in a
statement.

[OmegaV6]

If you are sad and want to know more about ATL ... read here .. :)

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/systems/atl.htm

[Roadster280]

The definitive source on all things ATL here (http://www.atlanta-airport.com/).

[Mactlsm1]

Nice one Roadster,
I can back you up on that one as I pass ATL every day on my way to work.

Mind you, that's gonna be some gunship!

Mac

[Two's in]

Flying a very big Chemistry Lab to war strikes me as something the H&S wallahs might want to look at.

[ORAC]

Or as Hot Air puts it: Marines to Pentagon: We need a freaky deaky airborne death ray, stat (http://hotair.com/archives/2007/12/03/marines-to-pentagon-we-need-a-freaky-deaky-airborne-death-ray-stat/) :}

[SirPeterHardingsLovechild]

Video released -


Airforce Times - Test of Laser Melts Hood of Car (http://airforcetimes.com/news/2009/10/airforce_tactical_laser_100209w/)

[vernon99]

I wonder how far away the C130 is? I am sure I can see a jack pad in the background!;)

[dead_pan]

I reckon you could counter this with a simple glam-rock Bacofoil cape. Either that or a 12" mirror to reflect the beam back at the source aircraft - you'd need a pretty steady hand though.

[GPMG]

How long till some humanitarian group gets this outlawed....because it could hurt people?

[vernon99]

surely the big advantage of laser is that the beam is directional and has very little spread. So I guess the human rights people will be less likely to complain about collateral damage.

For example it always seems to be wedding parties that get bombed, instead the guests can all complain about the fact that the groom spontaneously combusted, and the bride singed her hair! Followed by several henchmen waiting in the car outside getting toasted.

[neilf92]

Quote
"I reckon you could counter this with a simple glam-rock Bacofoil cape. Either that or a 12" mirror to reflect the beam back at the source aircraft - you'd need a pretty steady hand though".

OK - you go first then!:)

[GreenKnight121]

I wonder how far away the C130 is? I am sure I can see a jack pad in the background!

Look at another view...
Boeing: Integrated Defense Systems - Missile Defense Systems - Directed Energy Systems (DES) - Videos (http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/ic/des/videos/index.html)

http://video.boeing.com:8080/asx_external/events/F4C_HF3-2_VisibleCamera1_DRM1_96ABW-2009-0394.asx

I sincerely doubt that camera stands could hold up a C-130, nor that they would jack one up on stands in the middle of a brushy target area.

[skydiver69]

Apart from military applications it could also be used for getting revenge on the idiots who try to blind pilots with lazers!

A spontaneous combustion would certainly teach a lesson you wouldn't forget in a hurry.