Pentagon awards laser contract to Boeing

Wichita Business Journal ^ | March 14, 2005 | Ken Vandruff

[Righty_McRight]

The Department of Defense is ready to spend up to $300 million on a project to use a Boeing 747 as the flying platform for a laser that could shoot down incoming missiles.

The Pentagon contracts instruct the Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) to develop, integrate and test mission capabilities for the Airborne Laser program. The first delivery order is valued at $38 million.

The modification work to fit the laser onto a 747 was done at Boeing's plant in Wichita. The aircraft flew for the first time in July 2002.

The 747-400 has a nose turret and top-mounted laser targeting pod and is designed to use a chemical laser to shoot down ballistic missiles after they are launched.

Boeing is the lead manufacturer in the airborne laser program that also includes Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and TRW.

© 2005 American City Business Journals Inc.

[Righty_McRight]

Airborne Laser

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Ok , let's get 10 of them up in the sky as soon as possible.

[Righty_McRight]

Some hotdog crew is going to burn pictures into corn fields with it.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

lol

[ChadGore]

With laser beams ?

[Prophet in the wilderness]

To: Boeing , Airlines, and the US Government.
To keep cost down of this project in the short term, a good idea is to buy surplus or low service life cycled aircraft ( as long as the planes meet specific requirements as in how many cycles the plane has gone though, and maintenance was done to the aircraft ) from the airlines, and retrofit them with this laser.
Since the planes could be bought from the airlines, that will free up the airlines to order the new 747 Advanced from Boeing, and since the Government won't have to buy new 747s ( unless there is a need for new 747s ) the government can deploy more 747/laser units , or save on cost on the program in the short term.
Just being innovative and finding ways to reduce cost.

[Wiz]

I never dreamed to see laser weapons in my life time.

[Terpfen]

Still waiting for the day when I can go down to the gun store and buy a blaster ala Han Solo's.

[shekkian]

Good shot, Red Two!!!

[SIDENET]

The US is already buying used aircraft. The airframe for the prototype ABL was formerly an airliner in India. I remember reading it in an Air Force magazine. Sorry, I don't have a link.

[SIDENET]

I meant to say that the 747 was a former air freighter in India. The 747-400 isn't a people-hauler.

[rlmorel]

That's "frikkin" laser beams to you!

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Thats good.
As long as the airframes still have some useful life in them, and were maintained , why not use them ?
If the US Government were to buy more used 747 airframes for this project from the Airlines, then, they will save on the cost on this program.
It will free up those airlines to order the New 747 Advanced, and give them a good reason to order the new 747.
And it's a win - win situation for all parties involved.
The US Government ( DoD ) gets it's 747 planes at a reduced cost, the airlines get their old airframes ( but still useful airframes ) off their hands, and Boeing gets new business from those airlines, and can launch the New 747 Advanced program.
To : BOEING, US GOVERNMENT ( DoD ) , and the AIRLINES ???
This is a WIN - WIN situation for all the parties involved and can save on the cost of the 747/Laser project, sounds like a good Idea ???

[Junior]

Not quite. Laser light is invisible from the side...

[Prophet in the wilderness]

How many 747s would the DoD need ? 20 ?
How much would this program cost ?
A new 747 - 400 cost around $ 275 million a piece.
The US government ( DoD ) can get a good used 747 from a airline from around ( a estimated or guess estimated cost of )$ 100 million ? maybe less ? .
Lets say they need 20-747s, at about $ 100 million a piece, that's $ 2 billion.
Lets say the whole program initially would cost $ 4 or 5 billion, funded over 5 or 10 years, 5 years, $ 1 billion a year, 10 years, $ 500 million a year to fund the program.
Thats inexspendsive for a program that would protect our country from missiles threats.

[Constantine XIII]

Suh-weet!

[Prophet in the wilderness]

There is a Passenger version and Freighter version of the 747 - 400
The freighter is designated with a F example
747 - 400F
747 - 400LR means = long range.
747 - 400LRF means - long range freighter.

[SIDENET]

Good info. Thanks.

[lafroste]

The 747-400 isn't a people-hauler.

I beg to differ, when I flew from LA to Melbourne, AU I flew on a 747-400.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

If you want to learn more about the history of the 747 and a interesting book.
I suggest:
BOEING 747
Design and Development since 1969
By Guy Norris and Mark Wagner.