Definition

MIRACL, or Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser, is the only known successful directed energy weapon developed by the US Navy. It is a chemical laser, a deuterium fluoride laser. The MIRACL laser can produce over a megawatt of output for up to 70 seconds, making it the most powerful laser in the US. It is still in a prototype state but its goal is to be able to track and destroy anti-ship cruise missiles. On October 17, 1997 the U.S. Army tested MIRACL against a U.S. Air Force satellite in orbit. U.S. Federal experts said recently that the laser had had no capability to do atmospheric compensation and that the test had failed to do any damage.