The Airborne Laser Test Bed has completed the key MDA Knowledge Points and transitions today into long-term storage at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The ALTB demonstrated the viability of a directed energy weapon for missile defense by tracking and destroying a boosting, representative foreign ballistic missile in flight.

The MDA is continuing efforts to develop highly efficient electric lasers in support of missile defense to significantly reduce the complexity and cost of future directed energy weapons.