Video: Airborne Laser Test

Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have been busy this summer testing the Advanced Tactical Laser, a high-power directed energy weapon mounted on a C-130H Hercules transport.

In this August 30 test at New Mexico's White Sands Missile Range , the laser was fired at a target for the first time, with the following result. (Later footage of the laser "defeating" the target, or rendering it completely inoperable, is not yet available.)

Boeing has more videos, including this aerial view of the test:

Tony Reichhardt | READ MORE

Tony Reichhardt is a senior editor at Air & Space.