Would it be easy to convert a civilian 747 into the Airborne Laser? And if any one has a good picture of the Airborne Laser, could you please send it to me.
I don’t have a picture, but from what I remember it wouldn’t be too difficult. You would need to make a new nose, which is just a cylinder with a rounded half-sphere on the end. There might be some type of turret-like device just above the cockpit, but that slips my mind. Everything else looks pretty standard. Let me do a quick google and see what I get.
Here’s a few quick Google pics:
http://samizdata.net/~pdeh/20020720-AirborneLaser-747_sml.jpg
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/data/assets/8061.jpg (Be careful- this one’s massive. 2400x3000 pixels)
http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/apjinternational/apj-s/2trimes02/AirborneLaser.jpg (Modification Diagram)
These were of course found really quick-like, with Google. Just search “Airborne Laser” or something like that.
You might find some interesting stuff here:
http://www.aeronautics.ru/nws001/abl/overview.htm
If you go to www.airliners.net and search the photo database for YAL, you’ll get a few pictures - they’re of the plane with just the nose mirror and none of the other changes yet.
I also read somewhere that they’re working on a conversion of a C-130 to carry a laser as well (different purpose - for battlefield use while I think the YAL is for ballistic missle defense).
Hope this helps,
Bruce
Thanks guys for all your help. Now I just need to figure out the specs for the laser turet and then i’m ready to build it.