| Acronym |
Laser Name |
Description |
| SBL |
Space Based Laser |
A chemical laser designed to operate in space and destroy long range
ballistic missiles |
| ABL |
Airborne Laser |
Scaled down version of laser originally planned for the 'Star Wars'
program, carried by a Boeing 747 jet. |
| ALL |
Airborne Laser Laboratory |
Laser carried on a boieng 707 aircraft (precursor to the ABL) |
| ATL |
Airborne Tactical Laser |
Scaled down version of ABL designed to be rapidly loaded and unloaded
from aircraft such as cargo helicopters |
| THEL |
Tactical High Energy Laser |
Ground based version of ABL designed to intercept missiles from mobile
ground vehicles. |
| MIRACL |
Mid Infra-Red Advanced Chemical Laser |
Research laser constructed during the Star Wars' era, designed to test
the feasibility of missile defense. |
| HELEX |
High Energy Laser Experimental |
Extensive theoretical research on the feasibility of constructing a
mobile ground based missile defense system. |
| TSL |
Tri Service Laser |
First high energy laser to shoot down an aircraft |
| USSR Lasers |
Military lasers in the former USSR |
Survey of high power lasers in former USSR designed for military
purposes. |
| Previous Lasers |
History of military lasers |
Short list of previous high power military lasers. |
| Laser Weapons |
Overview of high energy military lasers |
Chapter from Laser Weapons The Dawn of a New
Military Age, Anderberg, B., Wolbarsht, M.L., 1992 |
