Is the ABL program going away?
Not in the immediate future. Testing continues with the program and it is funded through the lethal demonstration scheduled for this fall. The aircraft is flying, has completed its functional check flight, and is conducting flight tests using the fully installed and integrated directed energy weapon system. As the program reaches maturity and completes the proof-of-concept agenda, it continues to achieve new ‘firsts’ in an airborne directed energy weapon system. Funding for the acquisition and development of production-level aircraft will be determined by the continued success of the Airborne Laser prototype.
