Defense officials are looking to flight test the Airborne High Energy Laser on an AC-130J Ghostrider in fiscal year 2023, a U.S. Special Operations Command spokeswoman told Inside Defense this week, pushing back the planned demonstration by a year. SOCOM spokeswoman Navy Lt. Cassandra Thompson said today the delayed plans for the laser flight test, previously slated for FY-22, are tied to the AHEL team's "pretty deliberate systems integration process.” News of the updated timetable for the years-in-the-making effort...
