page_title: Boeing YAL-1
section_title: Operational considerations
hierarchical_section_title: Boeing YAL-1 / Design / Operational considerations
caption_attribution_description: English: Original description from the American Air Force Research Laboratory: "An optical engineer evaluates the interaction of multiple lasers that will be used aboard the Airborne Laser, a megawatt-class laser weapons system being developed to defend against ballistic missile attacks. The Directed Energy Directorate conducts research into beam-control technologies." Français&#160;: Traduction de la description originale par l'armée de l'air américaine&#160;: «&#160;Un ingénieur en optique évalue les interactions de multiples lasers qui seront utilisés à bord du Airborne Laser (litt. "Laser volant"), un système d'armement contre les missiles balistiques utilisant des laser dont la puissance est de l'ordre du mégawatt. Le Directed Energy Directorate (litt. "Institut de l'énergie dirigée") conduit des recherches sur des technologies de contrôle des rayons laser.» Italiano: Un ingegnere in ottica valuta le interazioni tra laser multipli che saranno usati nel sistema antibalistico "Airborne Laser".
context_page_description: The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser Testbed weapons system was a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser mounted inside a modified military aircraft same as the Boeing 747-400F. It was primarily designed as a missile defense system to destroy tactical ballistic missiles while in boost phase. The aircraft was designated YAL-1A in 2004 by the U.S. Department of Defense.
  The YAL-1 with a low-power laser was test-fired in flight at an airborne target in 2007. A high-energy laser was used to intercept a test target in January 2010, and the following month, successfully destroyed two test missiles. Funding for the program was cut in 2010 and the program was canceled in December 2011. It made its final flight on February 14, 2011 to Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona to be kept in storage at the "Boneyard" by the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group. It was ultimately scrapped in September 2014 after all usable parts were removed.
context_section_description: The ABL did not burn through or disintegrate its target. It heated the missile skin, weakening it, causing failure from high speed flight stress. The laser used chemical fuel similar to rocket propellant to generate the high laser power. Plans called for each 747 to carry enough laser fuel for about 20 shots, or perhaps as many as 40 low-power shots against fragile TBMs. To refuel the laser, YAL-1 would have to land. The aircraft itself could have been refueled in flight, which would have enabled it to stay aloft for long periods. Preliminary operational plans called for the ABL to be escorted by fighters and possibly electronic warfare aircraft. The ABL aircraft would likely have had to orbit near potential launch sites (located in hostile countries) for long periods, flying a figure-eight pattern that allows the aircraft to keep the laser aimed toward the missiles.
caption: A technician evaluates the interaction of multiple lasers for use aboard the Airborne Laser.
exif: {"Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "300", "Image YResolution": "300", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop CS2 Macintosh", "Image DateTime": "2006:10:30 00:52:45", "Image ExifOffset": "164", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "302", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "8845", "EXIF ColorSpace": "Uncalibrated", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "1319", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1627"}