WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. – U.S. Air Force officials say they were able to shoot enemy missiles out of the sky with a ground-based laser weapon that Air Force leaders plan to make small enough to fit aboard aircraft. Stars and Stripes reports. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
6 May 2019 -- The Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator Advanced Technology Demonstration Program, or SHiELD, conducted the tests on April 23, an Air Force Research Laboratory statement said Friday.
“The successful test is a big step ahead for directed energy systems and protection against adversarial threats,” said Maj. Gen. William Cooley, AFRL commander. “The ability to shoot down missiles with speed-of-light technology will enable air operation in denied environments.”
During the laser weapon tests at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., the laser system engaged and shot down multiple air-launched missiles in flight. It was not immediately clear whether the laser system shot down the targets one after the other, or if they were downed individually in separate tests.
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John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics
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