Joel Hendon

Pentagon Laser Test Downs Ballistic Missile From Airborne 747


Posted: Sunday, February 14, 2010

by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html

Former President Ronald Reagan proposed the "Star Wars" strategic technology in 1983 and it was considered, but more or less shelved because of the cost factor which many felt was far too much. After experimenting with the project and spending did indeed appear to be very costly. A new laser project was begun in 1966 but progress has been slow due to inadequate funding. Most of those involved consider the potential of laser technology to be awesome.

Last year, Defense Secretary Robert Gates reduced the funding for the project due to delays and cost overruns. Now the massive budget issued by Obama for 2011 has no funding for the project at all. The Pentagon has requested $99 million for directed energy research however to at least keep the effort alive.

Proponents for the project cite North Korea and Iran development of missiles as a prime reason we need this defense system to succeed. It has progressed far and improvements should be fairly easily accomplished. The prime factor which needs to be addressed and improved is distance. Although the distance of this successful testing was not released, it is thought to have been about one hundred miles.

The Northrop-Grumman corporation who builds the super laser issued this statement after the test:

"The basketball-sized beam was focused on the "foreign military" asset, as the missile is called officially, for only a few seconds before a stress fracture developed, causing the target to catastrophically split into multiple pieces."

Sources feel that this successful test will renew the fight to resume the serious research into this promising defense system, even though the cost will be in the billions of dollars.

Loren Thompson, a military analyst from the Lexington institute said, "Proving this technology is game-changing. The program's funding has been hanging on by a thread. A successful shoot-down of a ballistic missile will demonstrate to Capital Hill that the airborne laser has potential."

The test was made from a specially equipped Boeing 747 using a chemical laser installed in the rotating nose turret of the aircraft. It destroyed a scud-type missile moving at 4,000 mph, launched from an ocean platform.

I am an ordinary citizen, neither a scientist or military analyst, but it seems to me that billions given to this project would be far better spent than that of bailouts to companies who pay huge bonuses to their executives with it or stimulus packages which do not stimulate. A video of the actual laser beam is shown at:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-laser13-2010feb13,0,7891734.story

Author Biography: Joel Hendon was born near Gadsden Alabama. He attended public schools in Cherokee County, Alabama and after serving a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, attended Jacksonville State University, majoring in Business Administration. He became a Christian in 1948, and although he followed secular work as a career and retired from Allied Signal Aerospace, he is an avid student of the Holy Bible and related works as well as biblical history. He has an extensive website of conservative religious and political articles.http://hebronics.org/index.html

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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Marijo Phelps
from mountain meadow 2 years 95 days ago.
Sounds totally reasonable to me! and no "fall out" either.
» left by Joel Hendon 2 years 95 days ago.
127 fans.
Thanks for reading Marijo, and for the comment.
» left by Jack H. Schick
 2 years 91 days ago.
99 fans.
Of course, the main problem is tracking and aiming the thing. You've got to hit it consistantly. The destructive technology exists.
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