This customer-driven concurrent engineering approach is embodied in a new acquisition philosophy in the Defense Department, using integrated product development to minimize the time to bring new systems from development to operational status, and to maximize usability in the increasingly complex battlefield, where communications and coordination between various elements available to commanders is one of the keys to success. The laser's ability to deliver a concentrated beam of energy over large distances in extremely short times has intrigued military planners for years. Along with the ABL for theater missile defense, other high energy laser weapons are under active consideration. The Ballistic Missile Defense Office, successor to the Strategic Defense Initiative Office, maintains a strong interest in space-based lasers for defense against intercontinental ballistic missiles. The laser's ability to project energy accurately across very long distances in space has made it a prime choice, should such a system be seriously considered.
Work currently continues on the integration of laser and optical systems designed for use in space.
Lasers, because of their agility in pointing and delivering lethal energy, are seen as a potential defensive weapon. The critical importance of being able to protect ships from attack has led to continued Navy interest in reaching a technical solution. The U.S. Army is currently studying the possibility of using a laser mounted on a tracked vehicle for short range anti-aircraft missions, protecting forward battlefield locations from helicopter, cruise missile or aircraft attack. These systems would be less powerful than the ABL and probably use radar for target acquisition and tracking. Recent studies have suggested that such systems would be effective at ranges of 10 to 20 kilometers.