Title: MG Hoffman Visit to EAFB Sept 03
1Airborne 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)
2Outline
- Element description
- Element progress
- Key accomplishments
- Future outlook
- Summary
3ABL 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
4ABL 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
5ABL 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
6ABL 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
7Beam 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
8ABL 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)
9System Integration Lab (SIL)
Completed Laser Subsystem tests in SIL at Edwards
AFB. Currently being disassembled and
refurbished.
10High Energy Laser Subsystem within SIL
11 Near Term Look CY 2006 Knowledge Points
Beacon Illuminator Laser (BILL) Track Illuminator
Laser (TILL)
12ABL 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
13Program 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
14ABL 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