Summary: The Air Force has yet to demonstrate it can accurately predict levels of turbulence that will confront the airborne laser, which is being designed as the primary weapon for intercepting theater ballistic missiles shortly after launch. For example, Air Force data suggest that the levels of turbulence that the airborne laser may encounter could be four times greater than levels in which the system is being designed to operate. Predicting turbulence is one of many technical problems that must be solved before the airborne laser can become a viable missile defense system. Integrating the laser beam with military aircraft will be a major challenge. The Air Force must build a new laser that is able to contend with size and weight restrictions, motion and vibrations, and other challenges and yet be powerful enough to sustain a killing force over a range of at least 500 kilometers. In addition, the laser beam control system, which consists of complex software, moving telescopes, and sophisticated mirrors, will have to compensate for turbulence and control the direction and size of the laser beam. So far, the Air Force has not shown how well a beam control system of such complexity can operate on an aircraft.
