Experiments Delayed

The US Air Force will expand its efforts on developing laser weapons in the near term. In addition to testing an AC-130W Stinger gunship equipped with a laser capable of disabling vehicles, demonstrating a highpower laser weapon on a fighter by 2020 has also been identified as an objective. An expanded plan for developing directed weapons is anticipated to be approved in 2017.

The laser weapons experimentation programme may be among those delayed by the CR passed by the Congress in December. Other US Air Force aircraft-related testing and experiments that will be postponed – new starts are not permitted under a CR in the absence of waiver language in a bill passed by the Congress – include those relating to the proposed light attack aircraft, those stemming from the Air Superiority 2030 study, defeating agile targets and combat decisionmaking.

David C Isby