"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The maiden flight of an aircraft that officials hope will one day be able to shoot down U.S.-bound missiles took place Thursday over western Kansas, the Air Force said Friday.
The Airborne Laser is planned as one part of the overall Missile Defense Agency's program to create a shield of defense systems to protect the country "from incoming tactical or ballistic missiles."
The test flight, from McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas, was the first in a series designed to see if the modified Boeing 747 can still perform properly with its distinctive structural changes. The two-hour flight did not involve the firing of a laser, which is not scheduled to be installed until later this year, Boeing officials said.
The weapon, officially known as the Prototype Attack Laser, Model A-1, is designed to destroy missiles during their early launch stage by focusing a beam on the missile's pressurized fuel tank, causing it to explode."[/b]
The work on the system is ongoing, a few sucessful? tests with missles intercepting missles from Kwajalien have been performed.