The U.S. Department of Defense has already abandoned the development of its $5 billion Airborne Laser aircraft, which is a modified Boeing 747 outfitted with a chemical laser in front. Now, the Pentagon wants to revive the laser weapon project, but this time to be used with drones that are capable of firing on enemy missiles as they lift off, the Daily Mail reported.
The new plan is aimed at testing how this new weapon technology will mature in three years time. "'We have significantly ramped up our program in terms of investment and talking about it more of what else needs to be done to mature this capability," said Vice Adm. James Syring, Missile Defense Agency director.
A potential laser drone fleet is expected to address the flaws that the Airborne Laser aircraft encountered. For instance, it was discovered that Airborne Laser does not only need power but also the capability to destroy as many boosters as possible. The Boeing 747 test plane might have been too large and expensive, as the video footage below shows. It did show that the concept of laser attacks on missiles is effective, but it was not practical, The Register noted.
"If you can balance that range, altitude, power and number of boosters you need to defeat to help augment our kinetic capability, you're thinking about the problem exactly right," Syring said.
If the U.S. pushes through with its plan for the new laser-equipped drone, it will not be the only one to adopt such technology. China is reportedly testing a ground-based laser technology, while defense contractor Northrop Grumman has already unveiled a sixth generation stealth fighter equipped with a laser weapon, as HNGN previously reported.
