Posted on 12/23/2008 7:30:52 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
One of first the first decisions of US defence that the President-elect will face in office will be whether or not to continue funding for the futuristic Airborne Laser weapons programme.
The system aims to send an invisible, ultra-powerful laser beam from aircraft hundreds of miles from their targets, and could one day alter the nature of aerial warfare.
Primarily designed to strike enemy missile silos, the US Missile Defence Agency has called the ABL the answer to "rogue states" or terror groups equipped with intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The first, very limited, test firing was staged in late November. The laser was loaded on to a Boeing 747 and fired from a stationary plane at a target on the ground just a few yards away.
But already 12 years in the making and way over budget at $4.3 billion (£2.9 billion), developers Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grumman fear it could fall victim to the new administration as it seeks to save costs. Mr Obama has stated a preference for abandoning weapons whose efficacy is not yet proven.
Boeing is now planning to develop the weapon's planned target range to include aircraft and enemy ballistic missiles in flight.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
“0bama has stated a preference for abandoning weapons whose efficacy is not yet proven. “
So, a free market solution would be ok? Asshat.
Not even a slingshot will be approved by the Indonesian illegal alien president.
What about the sharks with the laser beams attached to their head?
Shows a mental midget's attitued toward the process of weapons science, engineering, testing and development.
With this attitude, Enrico Fermi's grandchild would still be messing around with an "atomic pile" under the stands of the Chicago University stadium.
I actually worked on the first airborne laser lab (c-135) in the early 1970’s. USAF Kirtland AFB New Mexico.
That was when Nixon was president. How did it work out?
High tech stuff is usually above the paygrade of even the most expensive lawyer.
It could hit a one foot circle on another aircraft with both flying. It was never designed to be an operational system. It used a chemical laser that occupied the whole aircraft.
It showed that the concept worked. The target acquisition and targeting system is vital.
Me Tarzan. Me break thunersticks. No bring thundersticks into forest.
Obama the new Tarzan. Rahm Emmanuel his mini-me.
In other words, any new weapon system.
He seems to be all for unproven, if not unpractical experimental energy technologies that virtually any company could have created during the past decades, but chose not to for obvious reasons.
> It used a chemical laser that occupied the whole aircraft.
Yikes!
...or something like that.
Sad sad day in America.............
“Primarily designed to strike enemy missile silos, ...”
This also shows the author has no idea what he is talking about. Stupid statement!
I actually flew the first airborne laser system called the Airborne Laser Lab (ALL).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.