To Congress for continuing to keep alive the Airborne Laser, a program so plagued by problems and delays that it was all but canceled last year. Defense Secretary Robert Gates stopped everything except an experimental facet of the Airborne Laser after 15 years and $5 billion failed to produce any significant progress. Gates cited the laser-firing plane’s major affordability and technology problems and called its operational role “highly questionable.” Yet the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee has lumped an extra $361 million on to next year’s defense budget for ballistic missile defense, including $50 million to keep Airborne Laser on life support. As defense budgets tighten and military personnel costs soar, Congress must slice the fat. Killing Airborne Laser is an easy choice.
Most Popular
Recent Posts
- 1930: In case you missed it August 09 2014
- Book excerpt: “F.I.R.E.” April 29 2014
- Two Cheers for the QDR April 06 2014
- 1973: Buy our drones! April 05 2014
- Afghanistan or Talibanistan? April 02 2014
Popular Posts
- Blood borders International borders are never completely just. But t...
- Peters’ “Blood borders” map On Sept. 29, veteran foreign-affairs reporter Robin Wri...
- From the Archives
- 12 new principles of warfare Now that dramatic improvements in weaponry, communicat...
- Hybrid vs. compound war Over the past two years, the hybrid threat construct h...
- The nonpartisan military In an interview with National Public Radio this spring...
Recent Comments