The Missile Defense Agency last week released a video of the Airborne Laser test aircraft engaging a target missile with its high-energy kill laser during a non-lethal test on Jan. 10 off of the California coast. According to MDA, this exercise “demonstrated the full functionality of the ABL system to successfully acquire, track, and engage a boosting target.” The purpose of this test was not to shoot down the instrumented target missile, but rather collect data on the performance of the ABL’s high-energy laser in support of the preparations for the first lethal missile-shootdown attempt later this year. (To see the video, go to MDA’s Airborne Laser news gallery.)
Earlier this week, the People’s Republic of China confirmed it is halting its nuclear arms control talks with the U.S., in retaliation for the U.S. continuing to sell arms to Taiwan. The move reinforces a “pattern of behavior” from Beijing, experts say.