MG Hoffman Visit to EAFB Sept 03

1
Airborne Laser Program Status
ABL Panel Discussion George C. Marshall Institute
26 January 2006 Col John Daniels, USAF Director,
Airborne Laser Program Office Missile Defense
Agency
Distribution Statement A Approved for public
release distribution is unlimited
Approved for Public Release 06-MDA-1321 (9 Jan 06)
2
Outline

• Element description
• Element progress
• Key accomplishments
• Future outlook
• Summary

3
ABL Description

• ABL is the air-based component of the ballistic
  missile defense systems boost phase defense
  segment
• Highly modified 747-400 aircraft will acquire,
  track, and kill ballistic missiles in their boost
  phase
• ABLs mission is to protect U.S., deployed
  forces, U.S. Allies, friends and areas of vital
  interest from BM attack
• ABL is a pathfinder for directed energy programs
  of the future

4
ABL Weapon System Elements

• Laser Northrop Grumman
• Laser modules
• Beam optics
• Fluid supplies

• Beam Control/Fire Control SystemLockheed Martin
• Turret beam transfer optics
• Target tracking
• Atmospheric compensation
• Fire control sequencing

• Aircraft 747-400F Boeing
• Major structural modifications
• Flight deck modifications

• Air Vehicle Integration Test
• Boeing
• Ground infrastructure
• Test plan/conduct

• Battle Management Boeing
• Engagement management
• Mission consoles / flight displays
• Surveillance active ranger
• Communications

ABL is using the best of industry DOD in
partnership to develop and test this highly
complex weapon system prototype
5
ABL Program Progression
Laser
Integration Test
BMC4I
Aircraft
Beam/Fire Ctrl
1996-1999
System Design

• Manufacturing and fabrication process
  qualification
• First production article
• Coating processes
• Test facilities and procedures

Build test systems
2000-2002

• Complete parts fabrication and delivery
• BCFC installs and end-to-end testing
• Six (6) laser modules, plumbing install, and
  integration
• BCFC and BMC4I integration

Install,integrate,test
2003

• High energy laser integration and testing
  (ground)
• Battle management and beam control flight test
  (acquisition, tracking, pointing)

2004-2005
Test

• Complete Low Power Active Ground Test
• First In-Flight Atmospheric Compensation with
  TILL tracking and BILL beacon
• Complete Laser Optics Subsystem Test

2006

• Full system ground flight testing
• Envelope expansion
• BMDS integration
• Second aircraft, capability upgrades

Future
Objective Demonstrate missile shoot-down
capability with a prototype Airborne Laser weapon
system
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ABL CY05 Accomplishments (Knowledge Point 1)

• Completed Passive Flight Test Series on 28 Jul
  2005
• August 2005, aircraft relocated to Boeing
  facility in Wichita
• Undergoing final modifications and provisioning
  to receive high energy laser
• Return to Edwards AFB in early CY2007 for laser
  installation on aircraft

• Aircraft with Beam Control segment conducted 28
  flights and accumulated 109 flight hours during
  Low Power System Integration-Passive (LPSI-P)
  testing
• Aircraft airworthiness and envelope expansion
• Beam Control/Fire Control (BCFC) flight turret
  and ball performance
• Battle Management C4I (BMC4I)-BCFC interface and
  timeline testing
• Flight environmental characterization (e.g.
  jitter)
• BCFC in-flight alignment and passive acquisition
  and tracking
• Stellar Radiometry

7
Beam Control / Fire Control Progress

• First Flight with BC/FC (3 Dec 04) culminated two
  years of modifications, installations
• First time with beam control / fire control
  system on board
• 11,500-pound flight turret, mass simulated aft
  and mid optical benches
• First step in ongoing flight test schedule

8
ABL CY05 Accomplishments (Knowledge Point 2)

• Completed System Integration Laboratory (SIL)
  Laser Long Run/Performance Tests
• Operate the High Energy Laser (HEL) at ABL
  operational altitude
• Repeatable laser operations
• 4 lases in 17 hrs
• Three long-duration lases including a gt10 sec
  lase

SIL Completion

• 72 lases and total duration of 82.15 seconds
• Provides operationally significant lethal range
  against all classes of missiles (SRBMs, IRBMs,
  and ICBMs)

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System Integration Lab (SIL)
Completed Laser Subsystem tests in SIL at Edwards
AFB. Currently being disassembled and
refurbished.
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High Energy Laser Subsystem within SIL
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Near Term Look CY 2006 Knowledge Points
Beacon Illuminator Laser (BILL) Track Illuminator
Laser (TILL)
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ABL StatusT-1 ABL Development Path
Low Power Testing (Aircraft, BCFC,
BMC4I) DEMONSTRATE THE BEAM CONTROL (POINTING
AND TRACKING) SYSTEM WORKS
Active Systems Ground Testing
Ground Test on Aircraft
Passive Flight Testing
A/C Readiness for Flight
Active Flight Testing
Today
High Power Testing (Laser) DEMONSTRATE THE
HIGH-ENERGY LASER WORKS
Laser First Light on the Ground
Laser Long Run / Performance Test
Laser Disassembly and Refurbishment
Laser Installation on Aircraft
Weapon System Integration DEMONSTRATE THE
INTEGRATED WEAPON SYSTEM WORKS
Weapon System Ground Test
Weapon System Flight Test
Lethal Demonstration
A/C Readiness for Flight
NET 2008
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Program Schedule By BlockFY04-12
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
CY FY
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Shoot- Down
Laser Testing Complete 12/05
Ground Test Complete
1st Light 11-04
1st A/C
NET
NET
Flight and Ground Testing Continues
Laser Disassembly and Installation
1st Flight 12-04
Passive Flight Testing Complete 07-05
Block Enablers
Technology Insertion and Infrastructure
Improvement
Using capability-based acquisition strategy to
buy down risk
NET No Earlier Than
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ABL Summary

• ABL is a revolutionary warfighting system
• Primary Mission - Provides critical boost-phase
  capability to the BMDS
• Secondary Mission - Early launch warning, launch
  and impact point prediction, midcourse and
  terminal defense cueing
• Pathfinder for future DE weapons
• Major accomplishments in 2004 and 2005
• Program accomplishments will continue in 2006
• ABL program is well on the way to a lethal system
  demonstrationShooting down a ballistic missile
  in flight

Approved for Public Release 06-MDA-1321 (9 Jan 06)
01_06 George C. Marshall Institute Sld 14