Boeing announced May 19 that it has begun firing the advanced tactical laser that has been integrated onto its host C-130 platform in ground tests. The first successful firing of the high-energy chemical laser occurred May 13 at Kirtland AFB, N.M. Additional ground tests are planned, followed by tests from the air against mission-representative targets, the company said. “Later this year, we will fire the laser in-flight at ground targets, demonstrating the military utility of this transformational directed energy weapon,” said Scott Fancher, VP and GM of Boeing Missile Defense Systems.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.