US laser warplane under threat from Barack Obama

telegraph.co.uk ^ | December 23, 2008 | Alex Spillius

[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.

[mhx]

The headline makes it sound like the President-Elect is going to shoot the plane down personally.

[Laserman]

Thanks for the pic of Good Ole 123!

The project was a success, though the technology was not sufficient to lead to an operational system. Even the current ABL will see technology changes before it becomes operational. But the general concept is a good idea for missile defense and other missions.

[goodnesswins]

The anti-Reagan

With him at the helm, we'll be weakened considerably....in sooooo many ways.

[jerry639]

Of course he will cancel it. Bambi needs the cash for ACORN and his other welfare fans. It would be a shame to fund a program where people actually create something. Need to hand all that money to those that contribute nothing to this county but the census count.

[wjcsux]

I also remember the first airborne laser laboratory as well. I was with the 4950th Test Wing at WPAFB, OH in the early 80’s.

[MayflowerMadam]

ALL didn’t use a chemical laser – it was an electric discharge laser operating at 10.6 um. Both ABL and ATL use chemical (oxygen iodine laser, or COIL) devices.

[wjcsux]

Our great military will go downhill fast, even faster than when Bill Clinton was in office. I can speak from first hand knowledge that people are lining up to get out as soon as possible now that we have a terrorist and a muslim for a president.
I knew this was coming.

[zeestephen]

Perhaps the Airborne Laser can be part of the light show for Obama’s next international speech.

[17th Miss Regt]

Boeing is now planning to develop the weapon's planned target range to include aircraft and enemy ballistic missiles in flight.

And then this little gem later in the article. It is clear that the author was just too lazy to do any work for this article.

[wastedyears]

Where’s Dale Brown?

[The Duke]

How many campaign contributions did Obama get from China and/or Russia?

[ASOC]

Looking Glass Looking Glass, this is Skybird, this is Skybird - do not reply

Message follows

Delta
Xray
Charlie
Foxtrot.......

about 2 pages later

Skybird, Out.

SOOoooooo glad those days are over. Aren’t they?

[ASOC]

I used to work in SAC command posts fixing the SLFCS rigs. Funky TTY rigs. But easy enuf to work on.

Used to hear this chatter all the time over the squak box.....

[ASOC]

In 78 or 79 SAC did a full scale ‘war flush’ at Fairchild AFB near Spokane.

MITO takeoff and an aluvial fan formation... the real deal. Scared the crap of the entire county. Nothing like seeing a B-52 and a pair of KC-135s at near treetop level and blasting away on a full out boogie.....

I found out the results of the exercise - we won, sorta.

[ASOC]

Were they ‘lost’ or just looking for beer?