To The Editor:
In the February 1998 issue of Military & Aerospace Electronics you published an article, "Airborne Laser to track missiles in any weather and destroy them in boost phase." The article contained technical inaccuracies on the beam control subsystem. Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space in Sunnyvale, Calif., is the member of Team ABL that is responsible for the beam control and fire control Segment of the Airborne Laser.
We are responsible for defining the requirements and design for the deformable mirrors used for beam cleanup and atmospheric compensation, not TRW (who is responsible for the Laser Segment). There are currently two qualified U.S. suppliers of these mirrors. We are also responsible for the illuminator lasers (track and beacon) mentioned in the article. In addition, we are responsible for the signal processor architecture and design of the Beam Control Subsystem, which is alluded to in your article.
Paul L. Shattuck
Director, Airborne Laser (ABL)
Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space/Advanced Technology Center Sunnyvale, Calif.
