Boeing's laser-equipped 747-400F ready for testing

It looks like scenes from Independence Day and Star Wars may not be so futuristic after all, especially considering Boeing's recent unveiling of its heavily modified (and laser-equipped) 747-400F. Following the recent "first light" phase on its ATL-packin' C-130H, the "airborne laser (ABL) aircraft" was officially introduced at a ceremony in the firm's integrated defense systems facility in Wichita, and it was announced that all systems were go for "testing." Even the branch's director, General Henry Obering III, threw in a Skywalker reference as he insinuated that the forthcoming plane represented "the forces of good," and unleashing it was akin to "giving the American people their first light saber." Just be careful where you bust that bad boy out, Mr. Obering.

[Via FARK]

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 30th 2006 12:31PM]

The ability to destroy a (anything) is insignificant compared to the power of the force.

[jason @ Oct 30th 2006 9:19PM]

Yes, but considering none of can control the force the ability to destroy something is quite significant

[What the... @ Oct 30th 2006 12:40PM]

Ooh I can't wait for the first stupid "I for one welcome..." post.

Anyways... sounds strange. I wonder if I can get a laser on my car.

[Whynot @ Oct 30th 2006 1:46PM]

"I for one welcome" this initiative! It was about time every airplane was equipped with a weapon. Having a laptop with a built-in grenade-launcher and a modified iPod that can shoot 9mm bullets, I can only be happy because this will make my flight safer. I will finally be able to travel without my bazooka and my 12 guns and riffles. I hope I'll be able to install one of these laser devices on my car. Take that ter'rists!

[Warhorse @ Oct 30th 2006 12:48PM]

And it's on a boeing because...?

[Brendon @ Oct 30th 2006 12:59PM]

Because they won the defense contract to make this. The 747 was originally made to be a cargo plane and it is large enough to house all of the equipment needed to produce the laser.

[rockintom99 @ Oct 31st 2006 1:37PM]

This is an missile defense laser plane.

[Benson Leung @ Oct 30th 2006 12:51PM]

So... the plan is to keep a fleet of expensive to maintain 747s in the air at all times patrolling the whole place burning fuel in case an enemy nation launches a nuke at us?

Right....

The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers ...

[Benson Leung @ Oct 30th 2006 12:57PM]

"Its director, General Henry "Trey" Obering III,evoked the Jedi Knights vs Evil Empire saga. "I believe we are building the forces of good to beat the forces of evil ... We are giving the American people their first light sabre."
"

I don't think the Rebel Alliance had an expensive bigass laser weapon...

I think he meant to say he just gave America their very own Death Star, and turned us into the Evil Galactic Empire, not the scrappy Rebel Alliance.

And if movies have taught me anything, tiny snub fighters can take out that Death Star without much effort.

d'oh... Star Wars analogies works against this guy.

[Jim @ Oct 30th 2006 1:09PM]

I'm waiting for when they shoot this laser at a giant foil ball filled with popcorn located at an a-hole professor's house and all the popcorn pops, bursting the house open and then all the neighborhood kids jump around in the popcorn while Tears For Fears plays. Sigh... "Everybody wants to rule the world..."

[DeShaun @ Oct 30th 2006 2:02PM]

Great. Scene. I kinda want to watch that...right now.

[Doc. @ Oct 30th 2006 1:09PM]

I, for one, welcome our new laser-weilding overlords.

Oh wait, they're the same overlords. Now they just have lasers too. Damn!

[Chuckle_h0und @ Oct 30th 2006 1:17PM]

Erm.....could you not just fire missiles from BEHIND it?

All that money and it's negated by common sense!

[chip @ Oct 30th 2006 2:38PM]

common sense seems lost on you, friend..

the point is to destroy missiles aimed at US soil, not at the plane.

[DeShaun @ Oct 30th 2006 2:02PM]

People...really...don't read.

Shoot it from the back? Do you understand anything? This is to stop a missile. This isn't a fighter plane. It won't even be in the same airspace. So, "shoot it from the back" is stupid. You would think that them mentioning stopping the missle from hundreds of miles away would be the first clue.

What I DO wonder, is why they don't have a ground based version of this, in addition to the mobile ones (or has that been done already?). Surely you could pack more punch into a laser with a limitless power supply.

To address the reflective issue, I'm going to take a guess and assume that whatever material would be that reflective, wouldn't be able to take atmospheric heat in the first place, and would not be sturdy enough to ensure a safe...explosion..(wow, talk about contradictions)

Whatever, on paper it sounds pretty interesting.

[Information Central @ Oct 30th 2006 5:56PM]

And a laser would destroy an incoming missile that has a mirrored surface HOW?

Another stupid, easily defeated, taxpayer rip-off.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 30th 2006 1:25PM]

So don't aim that laser pointer at it.

-cause theirs is bigger!

[apeguero @ Oct 30th 2006 1:27PM]

Hey Jim, you stole my thunder man :)

Next we'll hear the Axis of Eeeviil bust out some giant, extra shiny mirror as a counter-measure the Galactic Empire's newly deployed, Laser touting, Frequent Flyer Program favorite, express plane.

So, do the guys with the Big Black round helmets and black uniforms with croocked eyes sit back in Economy manning the laser controls while the head-honchos seat up-top in First shooting the breeze in new, fully reclinable, luxury leather seats?

[Frexy @ Oct 30th 2006 1:27PM]

Mm, I tend to think about this Bond Movie, Tomorrow Never Dies..

Although, the laser comes from out of space, and destroys the plan in it's path...

Still, you kinda could do the same with this laser then?
Still don't get it, just shoot the friggin' 747's from the back, no? Major weak spot, massive damage!

[Information Central @ Oct 30th 2006 5:56PM]

Not to mention that you could just chrome-plate your missiles to deflect laser beams.


A-duh...

[Michael @ Oct 30th 2006 1:31PM]

What's going to shoot down the missiles fired directly at these dinosaurs before the ICBM's themselves are fired? I'm guessing they'll have plenty of time to figure this out. This particular roll-out was supposed to take place in mid-2001. And, tests to take out SCUD missiles were planned in 2003. At this rate, we'll see delivery to the Air Force sometime in 2025, long after laser weapons have lost their advantage in technological warfare. And they will be delivered no matter how late - no Washington state politician is going to let Boeing lose this contract, no matter how far behind they fall.

[John C. Randolph @ Oct 30th 2006 6:29PM]

It's all about the range. The 747s can stand off far enough to be out of range of SAMs, while still being close enough to destroy ICBMs in boost phase.

-jcr

[Mick @ Oct 30th 2006 1:38PM]

To the ragtag rebel alliance, whoever you are (I think they're fictional, and a great excuse to burn some taxbux):

I'm guessing it's a Chemical laser (for now), and would need to be refueled at some point, so just launch a bunch of duds and make the thing run out of fuel firing for nothing.

Or just make your missiles as shiny as Padme's ship and reflect the beam.

For something really unconventional, try talking to your enemy so that no sticks and stones have to be thrown in the first place.

[Greg @ Oct 30th 2006 8:06PM]

Wow, what are you like 5 years old? We tried "talking" as you put it for 14 years...and it did nothing. He was still slaughtering his people. Sometimes people have to use force to do what is right, not just sit around and HOPE that that they aren't lying to you. Oh yeah, example number 2 North Korea, 8 years ago President Clinton talked with the dictator from North Korea (same one who starves his own population), and he PROMISED not to develop nukes...you seen the news lately? He lied

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 30th 2006 1:44PM]

C'mon now, Mick.
That's just plain un-American!

Can't we just kill our enemies the old fashioned way?

By opening up fast food franchises?

[Mike @ Oct 30th 2006 1:44PM]

Do you guys ever read? You've never heard of this project? These are not meant to shoot down simple rockets and missiles and the laser is not supposed to defend the aircraft itself. Also, there are not going to be fleets of these things patrolling the skies waiting for missile strikes.

The laser-equipped 747's are launched from Air Force bases in response to an incoming ICBM warnings. You can predict an ICBM's destination based on its trajectory, so they activate the fleet of 747's closest to the target. The aircraft is launched and the laser follows its target, heating the warhead body as it re-enters the atmosphere which causes it to prematurely explode. BTW save your, "but the radiation from the warhead" comments cause the stuff that scatters from the warhead before it goes off does alot less damage than a cobalt-laced H-bomb blowing up over .

This is a great project and I for one welcome our...he he, just kidding.

[iomr @ Aug 14th 2008 12:43PM]

EMP, anyone?

[Jason @ Oct 30th 2006 4:04PM]

There are ground based versions of the laser defense system in protype stages. One is in New Mexico. They are run by the airforce. And thank you to those who have enlightened the others on the true role of this aircraft. It is a military craft designed by the military contractors at Boeing, who happen to have a jet large enough to house the equipment and powersupply for such a weapon. Even if an enemy fighter plane or naval vessal could get within firing range of the 'laser-jet', it would have fighter escorts and surely some countermeasures like chaff-flare-jamming systems to protect such a costly investment. Now, this may not be the best use of tax dollars. I think it's more cost effective and safer to develop ground based systems exclusively.

Oh and did anyone notice the laser turret's range of motion is from the horizon on down to he ground? If accurate, this tells me the laser is meant to shoot missles down on their ascent, not their decent, making this an early-defense measure versus ground systems that must wait for a missle to descend... just a thought.

[Troy @ Oct 30th 2006 2:03PM]

Living in Wichita and seeing this in person a few times over the course of development, it is still quite an impressive sight/concept.

They had to install an industrial A/C unit similar to the size of one to cool a Wal Mart in place simply to maintain temperature inside.

One thing that does absolutely baffle me though is why they have a public website for this with a "Airborne Laser overview"....
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/abl/index.html

[Mike @ Oct 30th 2006 2:15PM]

So who's going to volunteer to fill their house with a gigantic Jiffy Pop...

[vendric @ Oct 30th 2006 2:36PM]

1: it's inside of a 747 due to the size of the components, the wide availability of 747 air frames, and the ease of customization of such air frames.

2: it's a chemical laser and has limited use before resupplying.

3: there is indeed a ground-based initiative comparible to this... go read about "Nautlius".

4: there's an episode of "Future Weapons" which details this project and even shows the inside of this 747, as well as animations of it in use.

[Alexandre Ludolf @ Oct 30th 2006 3:05PM]

realy, traveling at C speed is cool, but using another balistic projectile isen't cheaper? kinda using a missel that explodes near the enemy warhead ?

or maybe a large "wind generator" to deflect the projectile back to the sender lol

[Alexandre Ludolf @ Oct 30th 2006 3:35PM]

sorry about this 3rd post, but i was at utube, and saw a movie called "Laser Defense", realy interesting material. it shows laser defense against all kind of projectiles. from large misseles to mortars.

guess it's a nice tech after all. Ground mounted above all.

[thunderleg @ Oct 30th 2006 4:53PM]

And I remember the days when I used a simple magnifying glass to burn ants. Now they can use flying lasers to burn the infidels...

Oh, those were the days...

[Trenton Lipscomb @ Oct 30th 2006 6:48PM]

Engadget readers are way out of their element here.

1) The laser destroys ICBMs during their boost phase. At this time, they're travelling relatively slowly. Conventional missles won't work, because they're too slow to intercept. (Note that during reentry, the warheads are travelling about 4 km/s -- about 9000 mph -- so intercept is much more difficult.)

2) Chrome plating your ICBM is not feasible. An ICBM is essentially a low-orbit spacecraft and doesn't have the extra weight capacity to drag a bunch of chrome along. Even if they had the extra payload capacity, you couldn't plate your engine nozzles, so they'd still be susceptible to the laser.

[Michael @ Oct 30th 2006 7:14PM]

The missile interception, according to those in the program, is intended at the launch window so that any effects are inflicted on the launching party. The Air Force has requested a "fleet" of seven so far. The laser has an effective reach of 200 miles, or an area of 125,000 square miles (about the size of New Mexico). Among the nuclear states which might present the most concern to the US and allies, are Iran and Pakistan -- we'd need five planes to cover all of Iran and Pakistan would need 2.5. The remaining half of the final plane could cover most of North Korea. Of course, the planes would need to maintain constant positioning, which is impossible since last time I checked a 747 was unable to hover. (Anyone interested in calculating the minimum turn radius? It's velocity squared divided by G's times the square root of the squared turn load factor minus 1.) Anyway, the plan may have some effectiveness for known missile launch sites, but it can forget about submarine, naval and air launches... and, if you recall the joke, from the backs of vacationing Winnebagos. It would take about 29 of the jets to blanket the US (including HI and AK, but not lakes, etc.) full time... I'd suggest living in a large urban area or a Red state...

[catfish @ Oct 30th 2006 8:03PM]

"And a laser would destroy an incoming missile that has a mirrored surface HOW?"

the same way it would destroy everything else. The effect of mirrors on high powered lasers has been highly exaggerated.

[Brad @ Oct 30th 2006 9:47PM]

The thing no one is thinking about is how we are going to protect the 747 from enemy aircraft? The laser is cool, but flying that slow boat around with supersonic jets zinging by and tossing missiles at is another thing.

[adoit90 @ Aug 14th 2008 10:07AM]

"The thing no one is thinking about is how we are going to protect the 747 from enemy aircraft?"

That's because it doesn't really take much thought. We already protect big bombers from those same supersonic jets with.... gasp, our own supersonic jets.

Maybe that's just crazy-talk though.

[Steven @ Oct 30th 2006 11:23PM]

I first heard about the ABL about 6 years ago, maybe more. I even had a mouse pad with a picture on it. I also had a poster showing the ABL in the air working together with various laser equipped devices on the ground and in the air creating this virtual dome around friendly targets on the ground. It was pretty cool. This is the first I've heard about it since.

[daveyzilla @ Oct 31st 2006 4:37AM]

its Mr bush's presentation laser pointer so they can find places on the map.

[David Schloss @ Oct 31st 2006 11:07PM]

I think we've discovered his secret. He's not Henry Obering, he's Obe-Ring Kenobi. (Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time.

[fermisk @ Aug 14th 2008 11:38PM]

brilian....few years later china will make same gun....then every one has one...
then people kill each other buy the technology they have invented themself.
why they just dont put the budget to poor people dying from hunger ?
what are these goverment doing to the people ??!?!?!
no affence, but that's just my idea

[Socks @ Aug 15th 2008 3:14AM]

Go back to school!