The Airborne Laser program has completed successfully all its low-power phase of testing and demonstrated in flight that it could detect, track, target, and engage an airborne target, according to a statement from the Missile Defense Agency. Air Force Lt. Gen. Trey Obering III, MDA director, called the recent low-power test “one of the most important milestones to date” and prepares the way for installation of the high-power laser later this year.
The U.K. and the U.S. will continue to enjoy access to the ports, airfield, and workshops at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for at least another century, under a deal inked between the U.K. and Mauritius May 22.