This NKC-135A is one of 14 KC-135As permanently converted for
special testing. It was used in an 11-year experiment to prove
a high-energy laser could be operated in an aircraft and employed
against airborne targets.
Boeing NKC-135A
Airborne Laser Lab
The Airborne Laser Lab was a modified KC-135A used for flight testing. The aircraft pictured here was flown to the Nationa Air Museum in May 1988.