ABL may be hit with budget delays

The Jonas-approved budget decision lacks detailed descriptions of the program-specific funding cuts it orders. For the ABL program, the document takes a cryptic tone, stating only that the comptroller has approved a move to “delay procurement of the Airborne Laser to reflect changes in the system’s research and development.” It was not clear by press time (Jan. 5) what kind of funding reduction was handed down by Jonas as part of the program’s procurement delay.

A spokesman for the Missile Defense Agency’s ABL program told Inside the Air Force Jan. 4 that “no one here has seen” PBD 723, but stressed program officials do not feel OSD’s move will alter their planned testing schedule.

A spokeswoman for Boeing, the program’s lead contractor, also said the contractor has yet to catch word of the PBD language.

Asked how the delay would affect Boeing’s work on the plane-mounted laser, in an e-mail she said only that “the Airborne Laser program has successfully met program milestones for two consecutive years, in 2004 and 2005. As such, the program is on track to execute milestones scheduled for this year.” At press time (Jan. 5), the Boeing spokeswoman had not yet responded to a reporter’s inquiry about how the PBD might affect milestones slated for the future.

Link

This project is already a few years behind schedule, why would they allow it to fall even farther behind? Most other projects they would have killed off by now, but this bad boy must have a lot of top brass support.

Mod Edit: New External Source Tags – Please Review This Link.

[edit on 7/1/2006 by Mirthful Me]

I'm suprised by this...and dissapointed. This is one project that I really like, if it keeps getting delayed....by the time it goes operational they will have solid state mega wat class lasers.

I don't think it would be delayed THAT long, because if it was, then what would be the point of keeping the project alive?

Shattered OUT...

big budget projects dont die quick, even if it makes sense to cancell them.

When this thing goes operational in over 5 years, I would give it a 95% chance that a 1 megawatt solid state laser will exist.

Originally posted by NWguy83
This project is already a few years behind schedule, why would they allow it to fall even farther behind? Most other projects they would have killed off by now, but this bad boy must have a lot of top brass support.

That depends. Does the President of the United States count as "Top Brass"? President Bush has made it crystal clear he wants a credible BMD up and running, a year ago.