Military Aircraft Videos

USAF 747 Airborne Laser (ABL) turret ball testing

This is a video clip of the YAL-1A test aircraft. It is the flying prototype of the Airborne Laser (ABL) that is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles and anything else you think it can lock onto. Imagine a giant beam cannon in a 747 jetliner. Yes, just like the 1980's movie except this one is real. They had another flying prototype back then too. Yes, the optics on the turret ball are blurred out intentionally. You're going to need your secret squirrel decoder ring to watch with full clarity.