<This baby (or "Snoopy" as you call it) is going to be on line in a couple more years. Hopefully soon enough.

I don't know what the exact range is. Obviously, it's limited by atmosphere and the horizon at its upper limit. It's designed to stop short-range missiles, and would be useless in defending against missiles from places like Russia or China, which could place long-range missiles far inland from their borders and out of the ABL's reach.

However, a nation as small as North Korea may actually have its entire land area within reach of this thing, while still flying offshore or over friendly territory. I don't know. If so, it could shoot down long-range missiles just as easily.

There was an article on this in Aviation Week a while back. The laser battery is referred to by the nickname "Wall Of Fire."