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A Laser Defense Hit (The Airborne Laser scores a hit, even as Obama cuts its budget)
Wall Street Journal ^ | 8/15/2009

Posted on 08/16/2009 7:39:03 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Never has Ronald Reagan's dream of layered missile defenses—Star Wars, for short—been as politically out of favor as in the Age of Obama. Nor as close, at least technologically, to becoming realized.

The latest encouraging news came Thursday courtesy of the Misssile Defense Agency. The Airborne Laser prototype aircraft this week found, tracked, engaged and simulated an intercept with a missile seconds after liftoff. It was the first time the Agency used an "instrumented" missile to confirm the laser works as expected. Next up this fall will be the first live attempt to bring down a ballistic missile, but this test confirms how far along this innovative effort has come.

Along with space-based weapons, the Airborne Laser is the next defense frontier. The modified Boeing 747 is supposed to send an intense beam of light over hundreds of miles to destroy missiles in the "boost phase," before they can release decoys and at a point in their trajectory when they would fall back down on enemy territory. It's a pioneering use of directed energy in defense. The laser complements the sea- and ground-based missile defenses that keep proving themselves in tests.

Yet the Obama Administration isn't buying it. Funding for missile defense was cut in the 2010 budget by some 15%—$1.2 billion to $1.6 billion, depending on how you calculate it. The number of ground-based interceptors was reduced. The Missile Defense Agency's budget for the Airborne Laser is to be slashed in half, and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates pulled the plug on buying a second plane. The Pentagon says the program will have three tries to hit a live missile, or be killed altogether.

As the Administration keeps defense spending growth flat, while breaking the bank on its domestic priorities, Secretary Gates has to make hard choices.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: abl; airbornelaser; defense; laser

1 posted on 08/16/2009 7:39:03 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

BTTT


2 posted on 08/16/2009 7:39:46 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar (Live free or die.)
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To: SeekAndFind
Given past experience with the Clinton administration, we will soon see the technological secrets of the ABL delivered to Red China, Cuba, or maybe Iran.
3 posted on 08/16/2009 7:43:41 PM PDT by marktwain
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To: SeekAndFind

“intercept with a missile seconds after liftoff. It was the first time the Agency used an “instrumented” missile to confirm the laser works as expected.”

I wonder if the N Korean missile launch that “malfunctioned on liftoff” in 2006 was really the first time the laser was used?


4 posted on 08/16/2009 7:44:50 PM PDT by garjog (Used to be liberals were just people to disagree with. Now they are a threat to our existence.)
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To: SeekAndFind

“Given past experience with the Clinton administration, we will soon see the technological secrets of the ABL delivered to Red China, Cuba, or maybe Iran.”

and they had not totally surrounded themselves with anti-American communists.... bill ayers is still briefing the obmanation on destroying America. They spent over 10 years rubbing arms and fleecing and stealing from the American people in the Annenberg Project (a million dollar grant that produced NOTHING) I would bet the farm on it.


5 posted on 08/16/2009 7:50:16 PM PDT by bareford101 (Be loud! We have nothing – NOTHING - to apologize for in fighting for our Country!!)
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To: SeekAndFind

and it was chump change when compared to the social spending feeding frenzy in porkulus. “Defend or enslave, defend or enslave, whatever shall we do with the population?” the Speaker said.


6 posted on 08/16/2009 7:51:37 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (Why Does Obama Want Health Care in 4 Weeks When it Took Him 6 Months to Pick a Dog?)
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To: Jet Jaguar

Why spend on this when we can buy clunkers? /s


7 posted on 08/16/2009 8:03:47 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: NonValueAdded

Hm, what about the crazy accounting schemes known as: social security, medicare, and medicaid?


8 posted on 08/16/2009 8:10:44 PM PDT by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: marktwain

You forgot Russia. Obama may sell it to any of them, or probably all of them


9 posted on 08/16/2009 8:12:28 PM PDT by Thunder90
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To: bareford101
> Annenberg Project (a million dollar grant that produced NOTHING)

Actually, it was around $140 million and change, and, although it produced nothing of benefit to public education, all that money went somewhere, like the pockets of friends, for instance.

10 posted on 08/16/2009 8:21:23 PM PDT by ADemocratNoMore (Jeepers, Freepers, where'd 'ya get those sleepers?. Pj people, exposing old media's lies.)
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To: mylife

It works, therefore we must not deploy it, we can’t have an unfair advantage from the bad guys.


11 posted on 08/16/2009 8:24:53 PM PDT by phormer phrog phlyer
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To: phormer phrog phlyer

Obama is a trojan horse


12 posted on 08/16/2009 8:26:55 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: mylife

Well a horses ass at least


13 posted on 08/16/2009 8:47:48 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom ;))
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To: al baby

Heyup.

I can’t decide if he is a complete idiot or if he is a Machiavellian mastermind.


14 posted on 08/16/2009 8:51:28 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: mylife

I fear he may be the last President of the United States of America


15 posted on 08/16/2009 9:02:35 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom ;))
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To: al baby

Things are spinning out of control at an exponential speed arent they?


16 posted on 08/16/2009 9:04:31 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: mylife

Yes for us lay people faster and faster


17 posted on 08/16/2009 9:06:09 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom ;))
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To: al baby

But.. But..
I thought Barama was the defender of the reg’lar guy /s


18 posted on 08/16/2009 9:10:48 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: al baby
I fear he may be the last President of the United States of America


19 posted on 08/16/2009 9:12:48 PM PDT by ASA Vet (Everyone signing up after Nov 28, 1997 is a newbie.)
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To: SeekAndFind

mark


20 posted on 08/16/2009 11:32:31 PM PDT by bitt (Hey Nanzi Pelosi, ...we are not a MOB, we are the Brooks BrotherHood.)
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