[IROC]

Originally posted by Tobra
Do you suppose we have the capability to shoot down an ICBM? Cruising around the area with a high powered laser mounted on a plane, you could put your laser on the fuel pump, or whatever a rocket has, ignite the fuel, blow up the rocket and have it look like a malfunction.

I work on the sister program to ABL (Airborne Laser) - known as Advanced Tactical Laser. Yes, we do have the technology. ABL is designed to shoot down a missile in the boost phase. GMD (Ground-Based Midcourse Defense) is designed to shoot it down post-boost phase using an intercepter (known as the EKV). I worked on that program for a couple of years, too.

These programs (ABL and GMD) are pretty common knowledge. Heck, there's even a wikipedia article on Advanced Tactical Laser. Some of the details in the article are inaccurate, but I'm not going to correct them. :>)

Mike