Editing Boeing YAL-1 (section)

=== Use against ICBMs vs TBMs ===
[[File:Airbornelaserturret.jpg|thumb|upright|Laser Turret, said by the US Air Force to be the world's largest.]]

The ABL was designed for use against [[tactical ballistic missile]]s (TBMs). These have a shorter range and fly more slowly than [[ICBM]]s.  The MDA had suggested the ABL might be used against ICBMs during their boost phase. This could require much longer flights to get in position, and might not be possible without flying over hostile territory.  Liquid-fueled ICBMs, which have thinner skins, and remain in boost phase longer than TBMs, might be easier to destroy.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}}

If the ABL had achieved its design goals, it could have destroyed liquid-fueled ICBMs up to 600&nbsp;km away.  Tougher solid-fueled ICBM destruction range would likely have been limited to 300&nbsp;km, too short to be useful in many scenarios, according to a 2003 report by the [[American Physical Society]] on [[National Missile Defense]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aps.org/about/pressreleases/boosts2.cfm |title=APS Study |publisher=aps.org |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213231108/http://www.aps.org/about/pressreleases/boosts2.cfm |archive-date=February 13, 2007 |df=mdy }}</ref>