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US laser warplane under threat from Barack Obama
telegraph.co.uk ^ | December 23, 2008 | Alex Spillius

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 ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aerospace; obamatransitionfile; weenie
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To: Free ThinkerNY
Weapon system- Some high tech jazz that ain't down with the street.

Status- Canceled

Reason- White folks' laser beams not required to defend against primary enemies: Corporate greed and white supremacy.

Proposed replacement: Counseling program (TBD)

41 posted on 12/23/2008 11:20:34 PM PST by TonyStark
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To: Free ThinkerNY

No laser, no NASA, no border control, no drilling, high taxes and yes, meetings with our enemies.

How could 57 million people vote for this maggot? I think McCain would have been as bad in many aspects, but he would have kept the military strong.

Every Liberal will dismantle the military for handouts and domestic boondoggles.


45 posted on 12/23/2008 11:40:59 PM PST by wac3rd (In the end, we all are Conservative, some just need their lives jolted to realize that fact.)
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To: F15Eagle

(OPEN SOURCE)

The MERCURY birds are still active.

I haven’t bothered to listen to any Zulu net traffic in a while or any Blue Grass for that matter. I have a HF-GCS station about two miles from the house - hard to miss them while I am SWL.

I would guess it was a ‘spare’ NAOC bird loaned out to FEMA? Ok by current rules and the bird is in the inventory.


47 posted on 12/23/2008 11:46:39 PM PST by ASOC (This space could be employed, if I could only get a bailout...)
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To: F15Eagle

How can Obama’s attorneys clear Obama and Emanuel?

How can Madoff’s contributions not be front page news?

How can Odinga/Obama/Corsi not be reported?

How can one person garner 10 Time Magazine covers in a year, not including Man of the Year?

How can a photoshopped photo of Obama make international news?

The Media has created a monster that the all gush and fawn over...for no reason, other than he is 1/2 black and Liberal. No questions on associations, family memebers, grades, medical records, voting records, legal clients, shady RE deals, pork barrel spending...and the denial/cover-up continues every day...every article is postive, upbeat and “he will save us”/ Nothing negative about Democrats, ever.

I hate the Media...I am not even looking for RNC/Hannity cheerleading, I just want an obvious fraud to be exposed for what he is...this isn’t a hard task, but the MSM refuses to no support the Marxist Messiah.

How hard is it to get an FCC license and start our own network?


48 posted on 12/23/2008 11:49:10 PM PST by wac3rd (In the end, we all are Conservative, some just need their lives jolted to realize that fact.)
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To: F15Eagle

I worked the Nellis Complex for years - talk about too close.....too often. Worse than my gig in a FAC outfit.


51 posted on 12/24/2008 12:11:06 AM PST by ASOC (This space could be employed, if I could only get a bailout...)
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To: F15Eagle

Yeah, the “Red HAt” Sqdn came out of the closet a couple of years ago They all fly out of Fallon NAS now IIRC.

Nothing like seeing a MIG21 on the deck doing the speed of heat in your direction to make you think -

WHat the [o9r70[r] am I doing here?

Now-a-days I write some magazine articles and babysit the grandkids a couple time a week. Life is good.


53 posted on 12/24/2008 12:20:10 AM PST by ASOC (This space could be employed, if I could only get a bailout...)
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To: wjcsux

Unfortunately, it is happening faster this time around than when Clinton was in office.


55 posted on 12/24/2008 7:18:14 AM PST by pctech
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