COI laser reassembled for new testing

REDONDO BEACH, Calif., Oct. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. firm Northrop Grumman has begun reassembly of the Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser to prepare for high-power system testing.

The company said in a statement last week that it was working with other corporations and with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency on the "reassembly of the world's most powerful laser built for an airborne environment onto MDA's Airborne Laser -- ABL -- aircraft to prepare for high-power system testing."

"The integration is taking place at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., following a refurbishment by the company that involved the disassembly and inspection of the high-energy Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser -- COIL -- after the successful conclusion of ground tests in 2005. During those tests, the laser demonstrated repeatability of sufficient power and duration to shoot down a ballistic missile," Northrop Grumman said.

"ABL, with its future capability to destroy a missile in flight, is a critical and necessary component of an integrated missile defense system," said Alexis Livanos, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector.

"The high-energy COIL laser beam, traveling at the speed of light, coupled with the operation of the beacon illuminator that is used for atmospheric compensation are examples of how we are employing Northrop Grumman advanced technologies to defend our nation and its assets," Livanos said.

"The laser's refurbishment has allowed us to make improvements to increase reliability and to implement lessons learned during the laser's earlier life in the system integration lab," said Dan Wildt, director of Directed Energy Systems at Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector. "Due to the enhancements made during refurbishment, we expect the megawatt-class laser to perform even better than demonstrated in the system integration lab during realistic missile shoot down exercises now being planned."

Guy Renard, Northrop Grumman's ABL program manager, said in the statement that almost all the components within the COIL displayed very little degradation after the laser was tested more than 70 times previously.