William E. McDermott

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LtCol William E. McDermott, PhD, Class of 1965

In 1978, Col. (then Capt) William "Bill" McDermott and co-workers invented the chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL), the predecessor of major programs including the USAF Airborne Laser Project, which consists of a high-energy, COIL mounted on a modified 747-400F aircraft to shoot down theater ballistic missiles in their boost phase.

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