Military toy roundup
Boeing official predicts advanced tactical laser (ATL) 'will transform the battlefield'
The U.S. military is overseeing the development of an advanced tactical laser (ATL) being called revolutionary.The Advanced Tactical Laser will be fired from C-130H air transport and have a range of up to 20 miles. Popular Science
The laser is the centerpiece of an advanced concept technology demonstration program led by Boeing.In a $200 million test program, Boeing has begun flights for the ATL to determine the feasibility of an airborne-mounted, high-energy laser for urban warfare and other missions.
"ATL will transform the battlefield by giving the warfighter a speed-of-light, precision engagement capability that will reduce collateral damage dramatically," Boeing Missile Defense Systems vice president Pat Shanahan said.
ATL would be used in so-called low-power flight tests to track ground targets at White Sands Missile Range, NM. A low-power, solid-state laser will serve as a surrogate for ATL's high-power chemical laser in tests meant to last through the fall.
The laser is mounted on a C-130H air transport. The hardware includes the beam director and optical control bench, designed to direct the laser to its target; weapon system consoles to display high-resolution imagery and enable target tracking, and sensors.On Sept. 21, Boeing, joined by L-3 Communications and Hytec, fired the high-energy chemical laser for the first time in ground tests in Albuquerque. Executives said the test team would fire the laser through a rotating turret that extends through an existing 50-inch-diameter hole in the aircraft's belly.
UAV market booming worldwide
WASHINGTON — After a slow start, the United States has become the leading developer and marketer of unmanned aerial vehicles.A report by Frost and Sullivan said that the war in Iraq has driven recent successes in the UAV market. The UAVs are being purchased by all services in the U.S. military as well as abroad.
"The U.S. unmanned aerial systems market has had considerable momentum due to recent operational successes and increasing mission roles," the report by the Palo Alto, Calif. consultancy said.
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