Star Wars: The Next Generation

IBD Editorials ^ | August 19, 2009 | INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY Staff

[Kaslin]

Defense: The Air Force airborne laser program successfully completes a simulated kill from a plane able to find, track and destroy a live ballistic missile. We can shoot down enemy missiles. Instead, we're shooting down the laser program.

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The Aug. 10 effort was the third such test — sort of like a sniper sighting the target with the red dot of a laser without actually pulling the trigger. In early June, the airborne laser (ABL) program engaged two un-instrumented missiles. This was the first in-flight test against an instrumented target missile.

A modified Boeing 747-400F aircraft took off from Edwards Air Force Base and used its infrared sensors to find a target missile launched from San Nicolas Island, the most remote of California's Channel Islands.

The ABL battle management system acquired the target and fired its two solid-state illuminator lasers to track the target and measure atmospheric conditions. The ABL then fired a surrogate high-energy laser at the target, simulating a missile intercept. Instrumentation on the target verified that the surrogate high-energy laser hit the target.

"Pointing and focusing a laser beam on a target that is rocketing skyward at thousands of miles per hour is no easy task," said Michael Rinn, Boeing vice president and ABL program director, in a bit of an understatement.

This latest in a successful series of tests comes after Defense Secretary Robert Gates' general slashing of missile defense — cuts that will reduce next year's Missile Defense Agency budget by $1.4 billion, or 15%.

[Kaslin]

[ryan71]

Obamunist will kill it and anything else we need to save ourselves.

[marron]

The Left spent a lot of energy laughing at Reagan and then again at GW Bush for pursuing anti-missile weapons. They said it couldn’t be done, and said it endlessly.

We can do it, of course. All we need is for them to get out of the way and stay there.

[marron]

cuts that will reduce next year's Missile Defense Agency budget by $1.4 billion... The Pentagon says the program has three tries to destroy a live missile or the program will be killed altogether.

Billions for ACORN! Not one dime for missile defense!

[madamemayhem]

the description reminds me of the weapon system those kids were building in the movie “real genius”.

[GBA]

Gates has an impressive resume, but I don’t understand why an Eagle Scout would be advocating the things he is trying to do. By his actions, he seems well suited to obama and the demonrats’ vision for Amerika.

[muawiyah]

Gates and Obama are totally nuts. The North Koreans get off a shot at Seattle, Portland, San Francisco or East LA, that's gonna' cost a whale of a lot more than they save by shootingdown this system PLUS, they'll lose most of the Democrat voters on the West Coast.

Six US Senate seats are at stake.

[Vermont Lt]

But there are no missiles coming down on us. Why do we need such a thing?

//sarcasm off

[Centurion2000]

So we have a system capable of delivering enough energy to destroy a missile in flight ....

WHY are we not using this as a nice, static, SPEED OF LIGHT anti-aircraft battery around extremely high value targets???

[Centurion2000]

the description reminds me of the weapon system those kids were building in the movie “real genius”.

That's pretty much exactly what it is except it takes a 747 instead of a B-1.

[marron]

Excellent idea. If it can take out a missile 200 miles away it ought to be able to take out an enemy aircraft.

If they can flush a trillion down a rathole that nobody can account for, I think we can spare another billion for this thing.

[AFreeBird]

So we have a system capable of delivering enough energy to destroy a missile in flight ....

WHY are we not using this as a nice, static, SPEED OF LIGHT anti-aircraft battery around extremely high value targets???

Ummm, no logical thinking will be tolerated. This is the government we're talking about here. And a Marxist Obamanation of a government at that.

But I would like to think that there are those who wear the uniform, and believe the oath they took, to have thought along similar lines. And what ZerØ doesn't know, won't hurt us. Protecting the US of A is not on their agenda.

[theFIRMbss]

>Star Wars: The Next Generation

I thought this was on
the new George Lucas TV
series in the works--

According to reports, the new Star Wars television series is slated to unfold between the times of Star Wars Episode III, Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV, A New Hope. The time span between these two points in the Star Wars timeline is 19 years, giving the T.V. series a wide berth in which to unfold.

[prophetic]

Gee, now that comes as a BIG SURPRISE!!!

/sarcasm off

Yup, as usual campaign contributions from external sources (Middle East, China, Russian mafia etc) ARE a highly effective way to influence the internal policies of the country being bought off!!

Commie China got unfettered access to America's jewels (the nuclear weapons tech secrets) and several laptops storing the designs of our weapons went missing when people who should not have been given security clearances but for Bill Clinton's direct intervention for them. So a bribe (or political contribution if you prefer) can reap million or billion fold rewards.

[stevie_d_64]

“...use the Force Luke!”

“...relax, let goooooo...”