MIRACL

From Free net encyclopedia

MIRACL, or Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser, is the only known successful directed energy weapon developed by the US Navy. It is a chemical laser, a deuterium fluoride laser.

The MIRACL laser can produce over a megawatt of output for up to 70 seconds, making it the most powerful laser in the US. It is still in a prototype state but its goal is to be able to track and destroy anti-ship cruise missiles.

The beam size in the resonator is about 21 cm high and 3 cm wide. The beam is then reshaped to a 14x14 cm square.

In 1997, amid much controversy, MIRACL was tested against a US Air Force satellite in orbit. The satellite was disabled but the Air Force did not get the data from the satellite it had hoped for.

For more information, see http://www.fas.org/spp/military/program/asat/miracl.htm

Template:Phys-stub Template:Weapon-stub