[syadasti]

747 has yet another use, all "Real Genius" like

Remember Ronald Reagan's Star Wars programme? The futuristic and frightening plan to build laser guns that could shoot down enemy missiles? Well, it's about to start becoming a reality.

On Friday, the US Missile Defense Agency rolled out an airborne laser aircraft, the latest development in a missile-defence system that was once ridiculed as a Star Wars-style fantasy.

In a ceremony at Boeing's integrated defence systems facility in Wichita, the agency announced it was ready to flight test systems on the ABL aircraft, a modified Boeing 747-400F designed to destroy enemy missiles.

Its director, General Henry "Trey" Obering III,evoked the Jedi Knights vs Evil Empire saga. "I believe we are building the forces of good to beat the forces of evil ... We are giving the American people their first light sabre."

He added: "This is not the prettiest aircraft I have seen. It is not supposed to be pretty. It is supposed to be mean."

 

[N8 v2.0]

LOL @ 'programme'...

 

[BikeGeek]

Pretty cool concept, isn't it. I spent the last 9 years working the financial side of that, and other programs, for the DoD. ABL is one of the reasons I got out of defense work. I got tired of seeing billions of dollars thrown at "problems" in an attempt to fix them.

 

[Da Peach]

I saw a documentary about that thing. Apparently it can adjust for temperature changes in the air to keep it on target. Just better keep it out of the hands of Cobra Commander.

 

[Transcend]

Last i heard, a simple mirror finish on the target missile can work wonders at rendering it ineffective.

 

[BillT]

Now all we need is giant bag of Jiffy Pop.

 

[Echo]

Too bad they couldn't figure out a way to make it look like the Death Star.

 

[evilbob]

Last i heard, a simple mirror finish on the target missile can work wonders at rendering it ineffective.

Sorry but not that simple and yes I do know and will leave it at that. Sorry can't say more.

 

[syadasti]

Sorry but not that simple and yes I do know and will leave it at that. Sorry can't say more.

Possibly not the right frequency to reflect with shiny finish not to mention even mirrors made for reflecting have loss.

 

[ohio]

 

[Transcend]

Frikkin' sharks with lasers on their heads!

 

[Changleen]

Sounds like a frickin' expensive solution looking for a problem to me.

 

[syadasti]

Sounds like a frickin' expensive solution looking for a problem to me.

Making popcorn is important

 

[rockwool]

Its director, General Henry "Trey" Obering III,evoked the Jedi Knights vs Evil Empire saga. "I believe we are building the forces of good to beat the forces of evil ... We are giving the American people their first light sabre."

Obviously he didn't see part 3, where George Lucas made it clear which the dark side is.

 

[skinny mike]

Obviously he didn't see part 3, where George Lucas made it clear which the dark side is.

that's the one that doesn't use all of the electricity right?

 

[rockwool]

that's the one that doesn't use all of the electricity right?

Yea, that's the one. :biggrin:

 

[Alpha Kenny Body]

I believe we are building the forces of good to beat the forces of evil ... ."

Is this how all americans feel like?

 

[evilbob]

Is this how all americans feel like?

Dude bad choice. I am really getting tired of people in other places trying to make anything done by America a bad thing and representative of the greater feelings of each individual American citizen. If America does nothing bla bla bla oh shame on us! If America does something bla bla bla oh shame on us! The way I see it (oh shame on me! ), this is allot better than waving the threat of bombs over somebody else, it's allot better than sending troops somewhere to kill and be killed and it is allot better than punishing a counties poor by pulling supplies that there population might need because there leaders would like to threaten others with avanced weapons thinking it will get them more. I don't liken this a light saber, if others try to make it appeal to the public by saying that oh well. I do believe this is a step in the right direction. Instead of ICBMs to match ICBMs we just render them a non issue, burn them out of the sky, no harm no foul almost. No more accusing someone of getting ready to do that, just burn it when it is done and take it to the world to decide what the world wants to do about that contries actions. Before you try to turn this into a bash Americans thread please take a look at what your country is doing to help others, please look at your own streets to decide how to protect them. Please understand I am not trying to single you out, it is just frustrating when everything that happens someone tries to put the bad American twist on it. End rant, good night.

 

[GumbaFish]

Too bad they couldn't figure out a way to make it look like the Death Star.

Funny you say that as I have just happened to run across the latest artist rendering of the project.

 

[Changleen]

Dude bad choice. I am really getting tired of people in other places trying to make anything done by America a bad thing and representative of the greater feelings of each individual American citizen. If America does nothing bla bla bla oh shame on us! If America does something bla bla bla oh shame on us! The way I see it (oh shame on me! ), this is allot better than waving the threat of bombs over somebody else, it's allot better than sending troops somewhere to kill and be killed and it is allot better than punishing a counties poor by pulling supplies that there population might need because there leaders would like to threaten others with avanced weapons thinking it will get them more. I don't liken this a light saber, if others try to make it appeal to the public by saying that oh well. I do believe this is a step in the right direction. Instead of ICBMs to match ICBMs we just render them a non issue, burn them out of the sky, no harm no foul almost. No more accusing someone of getting ready to do that, just burn it when it is done and take it to the world to decide what the world wants to do about that contries actions. Before you try to turn this into a bash Americans thread please take a look at what your country is doing to help others, please look at your own streets to decide how to protect them. Please understand I am not trying to single you out, it is just frustrating when everything that happens someone tries to put the bad American twist on it. End rant, good night.

Fair enough, I'm not trying to bash America or anything, but:

1) Which of your enemies has ICBMs and how many?
2) How many of these planes do you have and where are they stationed?
3) How fast is a 747 with a laser on it compared to an ICBM?

What I'm saying is, sure its good fun as a 'proof of concept' but in reality I think it's kind of useless. Also how much did it cost and what else could have been done with that cash? How many injured soldier's benefits could you pay with the R+D money from that?

 

[evilbob]

Fair enough, I'm not trying to bash America or anything, but:

1) Which of your enemies has ICBMs and how many?
2) How many of these planes do you have and where are they stationed?
3) How fast is a 747 with a laser on it compared to an ICBM?

What I'm saying is, sure its good fun as a 'proof of concept' but in reality I think it's kind of useless. Also how much did it cost and what else could have been done with that cash? How many injured soldier's benefits could you pay with the R+D money from that?

1) During the cold war it would have been nice to have a better choice than was available then. This technology might have been that choice. As it is now some of the current states of the former USSR still have operational weapons and as recent events have played out it is obvious that N. Korean leaders felt it was prudent to begin yet another Nuke arms issue. I think everyone would like to see this stuff go away. Maybe America would finally get rid of it's arsenal if it wasn't felt needed as a deterent. I personally (as an individual American) hope this is the course that we achive...No Nukes.

2) Ha, good question/s. All I could possibly say is there will be more than there are now and ultimately several stratigic locations as required by situational need.

3) Not important for it to work.

Last question I guess we get back to judging others in some fashion. Let me ask instead of answering.

1) How many N. Korean families could be supported for the cost their leader put into their nuke program and military? I don't see anyone invading them only sending aid, so do they really need that stuff?
2) Since the USSR broke was desolved is there any need of the former states to maintain their arsenal? Really? Nuke Subs?
3) I wonder what could have been done better with the money that I myself have put into aide to others that obviously didn't go to where I entended because of another counties leaders or warlords. Can you tell me?
4) American Soldiers benefits are allready paid. They are paid with my taxes and the taxes of others, not all of their situations end up good and money really isn't the issue. Can you or anybody else tell me how many of anyone's soldiers wouldn't need to die or be maimed and crippled if we sit back from these situations and are not threatened by anothers destructive weapons because they have been rendered useless in conflict and there fore are useless as a pressure bargaining tool? If big R&D dollars and technology can get us to that point I will support that and do.
5) Can you tell me when people of another race, religion, region will get over who owned the land here and there years ago and will wise up and realize that it only matters who is living there now and to collectively support each other and their families?

By the way my questions are not for Changleen but anyone that have real constructive answers. I don't mean answers based on religion, race, regional history but answers that are driven by the perception of all people as equals in their basic needs and basic respect. If you cannot answer with positive imput then don't answer.

 

[blue]

1) During the cold war it would have been nice to have a better choice than was available then. This technology might have been that choice. As it is now some of the current states of the former USSR still have operational weapons

2) Since the USSR broke was desolved is there any need of the former states to maintain their arsenal? Really? Nuke Subs?

Had Reagan's delusional dream (Star Wars) been implemented during the Cold War, it would've sent tensions to Cuban Missile Crisis levels, along with possible global nuclear war. Much of the 'merikun people do not understand that to use any sort of ABM system is to upset the global balance of power on a massive scale. Whilst having no nukes is the supreme scenario, everyone with nukes and someone with a method to destroy nukes is worst-case, moreso than just everyone with nukes.

Other thing...you speak of these many former Soviet states with nukes. In reality, the only former Soviet state with true nuclear capability is Russia.

 

[evilbob]

Had Reagan's delusional dream (Star Wars) been implemented during the Cold War, it would've sent tensions to Cuban Missile Crisis levels, along with possible global nuclear war. Much of the 'merikun people do not understand that to use any sort of ABM system is to upset the global balance of power on a massive scale. Whilst having no nukes is the supreme scenario, everyone with nukes and someone with a method to destroy nukes is worst-case, moreso than just everyone with nukes.

Other thing...you speak of these many former Soviet states with nukes. In reality, the only former Soviet state with true nuclear capability is Russia.

Since when is the ability to defend ones self or defend another without inflicting damage to another a bad thing? As long as it is acceptable to hold another hostage as a tool of barter I guess that is bad. Shame on the human race if we cannot grow past this method of exchange.

Yea your a smarty there, got me, only Russia. Point is they still got um and so do we. We (both sides) still don't agree on many things and tend to work our issues as is if we are still in a cold war. Hhhmmmm think maybe we still are? A defense weapon that could break the Nuke issue I think is good, put the big gun away because it doesn't work now. Either find a new big gun or learn to be civil and drop the mean image and generations of finger pointing and back biting.

Or we can just quit trying and wait for global warming to burn us off.

 

[BikeGeek]

Much of the 'merikun people do not understand that to use any sort of ABM system is to upset the global balance of power on a massive scale.

Most don't understand that the balance is already upset and has been for decades. The Cold War era belief in Mutually Assured Destruction doesn't work anymore. It only worked when both sides were equally afraid of the ramifications of pushing the button. There are world leaders who now have the capability to "reach out and touch someone" that don't care about the ramifications, they only care that there dick appear bigger than everyone else's. Sure, I spent 9 years with MDA and maybe that has me buying the company line a bit, but I believe missile defense is needed. That said, I don't think ABL is the answer. Sure, lasers are cool and everything, but having seen the bottom line on this thing, and what's budgeted for the future ($4B over the next 5 years), well, there is a lot more that could have been accomplished in place of that single plane.

Whilst having no nukes is the supreme scenario, everyone with nukes and someone with a method to destroy nukes is worst-case, moreso than just everyone with nukes.

Nukes aren't the reason US is pursuing ABM technology. They're still scary and all, but the real threat is the cheaper, more readily available bugs and chems. There are a lot of countries out there with the ability to deliver stuff 1000s of km. Many of them have no problems with selling those rockets to others.

 

[Changleen]

$4B???



Holy crap that's more than even I thought!

 

[BikeGeek]

$4B???



Holy crap that's more than even I thought!

That's from the PB06-07 Budget Submission, so it's what they're asking for. It hasn't been approved yet. With the war going on, I'd expect the President to approve less, but it is one of his pet programs.