Zapper zaps, but is still zapped

 

1. Remember “Independence Day”? Remember the scientific research and weapons development site that the President had no knowledge of? Let us pray that is as true regarding the pResident.

   Posted by cmblake6       02/12/2010  at  07:49 PM  



2. Were you gonna call it...The Eye of Sauron?

   Posted by ooGcM taobmaetS       02/12/2010  at  08:33 PM  



3. Range?  http://formerspook.blogspot.com/ says “ABL is (reportedly) capable of engaging liquid-fueled targets up to 600 km away (and solid-fueled missiles at a range of 300 km)...” The problem, as he notes, is getting into range.  This only works right after lift off so you have to be within range of the launch point.  Even Iran would be able to make serving on the “zapper” an extremely interesting duty, in the meaning of interesting being something I avoid.  I prefer boring, especially when someone’s trying to shoot down the airplane I’m riding in.

   Posted by Retired Curmudgeon       02/12/2010  at  11:34 PM  



4. I truly dont think this baby is going to be tossed out with the bathwater. This is the future of warfare whether it scares the crap out of us (and our potential future enemies) or not. Remember when cell phones required a trunk full of equipment to operate (Im sure Drew can explain, and a friend of mine had one of those things back in 1978)but now we toss them in the trash when we see a fancy new one.
   Also on the horizen is the “Rail Gun” the navy is playing with which is almost as scary as this thing will be some day.It has a one shot kill capacity of even ships if targeted accuretly up to a few hundred miles I believe ( OK,Someone check that for me).
   Odumbass will only be around for a few years but the DOD is here to stay and DARPA aint been defunded yet so buck up.
   I got my popcorn all ready for the day it all come to fruition.

   Posted by Rich K       02/13/2010  at  01:33 AM  



5. Drew, Drew - to take the words of a semi-wise man - ‘You don’t actually think they spend $20,000.00 on a hammer, $30,000.00 on a toilet seat do you?’

   Just like the Porkulus bill being a Union Payback/DNC slush fund - It will be funded - whether the Dems want it to be or not.

   Posted by wardmama4       02/13/2010  at  08:19 AM  



6. Judd Hersh was wise WM.
   UPDATE but read between the lines:
   The MDA at one time had plans to field operational versions of the ABL for boost-phase missile defense, but the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has scaled back the program.( This is the between the lines part)> Plans now call for using the experimental ABL platform as a test bed for research on directed energy weapons. Depending on available funding, the aircraft may conduct up to two more flight tests this year, MDA Executive Director David Altwegg said Feb. 1. However, Lehner said Feb. 12 that no additional flight tests are currently scheduled. Following the flight test program, management of the ABL will be transferred from MDA to the Office of the Pentagon’s Director of Defense Research and Engineering and the High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office, MDA budget documents show. The ABL has a $182.3 million budget for this year, but the MDA did not request any money for the program in 2011.

   Posted by Rich K       02/13/2010  at  02:35 PM  

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