USAF Airborne Laser
The USAF Airborne Laser testbed built on a 747-400F.
The USAF Airborne Laser - a 747-400 Freighter carrying a megawatt-class chemical laser, the turret for which forms the bulbous nose.
It destroyed two boosting ballistic missiles in tests in February 2010. More on the YAL-1.
USAF Airborne Laser Boeing 747-400F with its nose-mounted laser turret
Related topics
The YAL-1 Airborne Laser
A modified 747-400F carrying a megawatt-class chemical laser in its nose, built to destroy ballistic missiles in boost phase. Cancelled 2011, scrapped 2014.
The Boeing C-33
A proposed military 747-400 freighter meant to supplement the C-17 fleet. Congress studied it, then bought more C-17s instead.
The 747 CMCA
A proposed USAF Boeing 747 armed with up to 72 cruise missiles on rotary launchers, studied during B-1 development. It was never built.
747-400F
The all-freight 747-400F used the 747-200F fuselage. It first flew in May 1993 and entered service with Cargolux that November.
Air Force One slips again, and the cracks behind it
A Pentagon report puts the VC-25B cabin behind schedule, with hundreds of airframe repairs outstanding and delivery now expected in 2028.
Asiana 991, 28 July 2011
A 747 freighter was destroyed by an in-flight cargo fire in 18 minutes, helping to force new rules on carrying lithium batteries by air.
More in Photo Album
Photo Album
Photographs of every major Boeing 747 variant and special-mission jumbo - airline service, freight, Air Force One, the Dreamlifter and SOFIA.
Boeing 747-8 Photos
The Boeing 747-8 in pictures - wing assembly, final construction, paint hangar roll-out, first flight and airline service.
747-400 Cargo
Japan Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400F JA401J photographed on the ramp, showing the freighter's raised flight deck and nose door.
747-400D (Japan Airlines)
A Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400D, the high-density domestic variant built without the winglets fitted to other 747-400s.
747-8 Berths
Optional crew rest berths offered on the 747-8, tucked into the upper area of the cabin for long-haul operations.
747-8-Intercontinental forward fuselage
The first forward fuselage section of the 747-8 Intercontinental, delivered to Everett for final assembly.