Determining the Feasibility of an Army Laser Air and Missile Defense System

The ability for adversaries to develop air and missile threats continues to improve as technology advances and costs decrease. However, the cost associated with developing and sustaining capabilities to counter these threats increases. The US Army relies primarily on various gun and missile interceptor systems that each defend against a portion of a large spectrum of threats. This thesis questions the sustainability of these systems and seeks to determine the feasibility of developing a single laser-based air and missile defense system.