AIRBORNE LASER PROGRAM THREATENED.

Byline: JIM SKEEN

Staff Writer

A congressional subcommittee wants to cut $400 million from the proposed $549 million budget for the airborne laser program, a move that would potentially cripple a major research program at Edwards Air Force Base, contractors said Tuesday.

Representatives of Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have urged Congress to fully fund the program, which employs about 700 workers at Edwards. The contractors said they are close to proving a flying laser weapon can bring down a ballistic missile.

A test of the system is planned for 2009.

"We stand on the verge of fully demonstrating a revolutionary war-fighting capability," said Greg Hyslop, Boeing's vice president and program director for the airborne laser program. "It would be imprudent to cripple or terminate this program just when we are on the cusp of demonstrating ABL's capability."

Joining Hyslop in calling for full funding were Guy Renard, the program manager from Northrop Grumman, and Art Napolitano, the program manager from Lockheed Martin.

The proposed budget cut was included in the "mark up," or shaping of, the 2008 defense authorization bill by the Strategic Forces subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Walnut Creek. The committee is responsible for determining how about $51 billion of the defense budget should be spent.

As Congress tries to rein in spending, the subcommittee was given about $1 billion less to work with in shaping its suggested budget. The subcommittee opted to focus on existing or near-term weapons systems and less on research and development programs such as airborne laser.

"In ballistic missile defense programs, the mark-up reflects our support for addressing real, near-term missile threats facing the 'warfighter' -- short and medium-range missiles -- and making only prudent investments in high-risk, immature programs," Tauscher said.

Program officials said they have costs under control and that they have not encountered any insurmountable technical risks.

"Because of our progress, the technical risks on the program are coming down," Hyslop said. "The ABL is fast becoming a reality."

Hyslop noted it was still very early in the budget process and that the contractors hoped full funding would be restored.

Program officials envision future airborne laser aircraft patrolling in pairs at more than 40,000 feet and inside friendly territory, scanning the horizon for missiles.

When a missile is detected, a set of lasers would track and illuminate it, and computers would measure the distance and calculate its course and direction.

A second high-energy laser, fired through the aircraft's nose-mounted turret, would destroy the missile.

The weapon laser is made up of six modules, each weighing 4,500 pounds and about the size of a sport utility vehicle.

The weapon laser is being refurbished after being tested on the ground at Edwards. The plan is to begin installing it on the aircraft this summer, with work likely to stretch into mid-2008.

A test against an actual ballistic missile is scheduled for 2009. If that test is successful, there are plans to begin development of another airborne laser aircraft.

james.skeen@dailynews

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