Pentagon Considers Cutting Airborne Laser Funding

U.S. Defense Department officials are considering reducing funding for the Airborne Laser missile defense system, Aviation Week and Space Technology reported Monday (see GSN, Sept. 5, 2003).

Under development, the ABL system would use a laser mounted in a modified Boeing 747 aircraft to shoot down ballistic missiles in their boost phase.

While plans for the ABL have not yet been finalized, Pentagon officials say the program will most likely be restructured. Defense Department officials have also discussed the possibility of canceling the program outright.

ABL project managers, however, expect to continue working toward a missile shootdown test in early 2005. In the fiscal 2004 defense budget, the ABL system received $344.5 million for near-term activities. The fiscal 2004 budget also includes $265.5 million for longer term ABL efforts, and the program was expected to receive funding boosts in later years as well (Robert Wall, Aviation Week and Space Technology, Jan. 5).

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