The Missile Defense Agency is window shopping for a high-altitude aircraft -- preferably unmanned -- to carry a planned speed-of-light weapon, the latest development in an effort to develop a prototype for a new airborne laser and advance the long-standing desire to intercept adversary ballistic missiles during the boost phase of flight. On June 13, MDA solicited industry for ideas on high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft for the Directed Energy Demonstrator Development project that aims to pair an aircraft with...
