Boeing will develop and test technologies a hypersonic interceptor prototype for DARPA’s Glide Breaker program as part of a four-year effort. Boeing will perform computational fluid dynamics analysis, wind tunnel testing and evaluation of aerodynamic jet interaction effects during flight tests.
Hypersonic interceptors will destroy a threat traveling at over five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere during the glide phase of flight. The Boeing-led development and testing will provide the foundation for future operational glide-phase interceptors capable of defending against these sophisticated and evolving hypersonic threats.
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“Glide phase” seems like you just helped your enemies by telling them to develop technologies for powered phase to pulse or modulate the entire time to target… And based on recent advances I would bet they could figure that out faster than we could defend against older technology. How about investing in America….
Question to GoatGuy – can you churn the numbers and guestimate what would the maximum power of a laser mounted on a fighter jet, assuming that:
1. It is cooled by SABRE-engine like cooling system – copied 1:1 from the current design, no up/down scaling. It should be possible to calculate cooling capacity, making assumptions about the quantity of liquefied air needed for the SABRE engine, unfortunately I’ve got no brains for that.
2. It can “shoot” 10 sec. continuous laser pulse every 30 seconds.
10 second pulse? An Ultra Short Pulse might be a better bet, since it produces EMP at the point of impact:
“The intensity of the laser pulse can also accelerate electrons outward from the impact point at high speed. This rapid movement generates an electromagnetic pulse or EMP. This can be a problem in the laboratory when laser-generated EMP disturbs measuring instruments. On the battlefield a powerful EMP, or a series of them, might bring down drones, missiles or even aircraft. The EMP is generated right at the surface of the target rather than some distance away, as EMP effectiveness falls off with the square of distance.”
See:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/03/11/us-army-develops-laser-machinegun-firing-light-bullets
With their latest track record, Boeing doing anything doesn’t inspire much confidence.
Agreed. I’m not sure I’d award them a contract to pick up dog crap form my backyard.