Airborne Laser's conformal window exposed during flight for first time

Published: May 22, 2005
Source: www.edwards.af.mil



05/20/05 – EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Lt. Gen. Henry "Trey" Obering, Missile Defense director, announced Wednesday that the Airborne Laser's 1.7-meter-wide conformal window was successfully exposed during flight for the first time, a maneuver necessary for the weapon system to complete its mission of shooting down a ballistic missile during the boost phase.

The conformal window exposure occurred on May 17 during the 18th flight in the current test series for the ABL aircraft, YAL-1A. The window, which is shaped like a huge contact lens, took five years to manufacture and is one of the most complex optics ever developed. It is mounted in a rotating turret-ball assembly on the nose of the ABL aircraft. During takeoff and landing, the window is rotated into the "stowed" position where it is protected by a gasket and metal shield. During an operational mission, three of the four ABL lasers that propagate outside the aircraft, including the megawatt-class "killer" laser, are fired through the window.continue..