Boeing $241.8 million contract ballistic missile-hunting Airborne Laser

BOEING CO. won a $241.8 million contract to continue work on the
ballistic missile-hunting Airborne Laser, a modified 747, the
Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency said on Monday. The contract,
which runs through June 30, 2005, modifies an earlier agreement
to account for cost adjustments to the laser, beam control and
integration and test efforts, it said. The revised contract
also removes the value of aircraft to be procured in 2008,
which will now be procured under a separate contract. The
Airborne Laser is part of a U.S. plan to field layered defenses
against incoming ballistic missiles in their boost, mid-course
and end-flight phases. The laser-firing aircraft is designed to
carry a chemical laser developed by NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP. to
shoot down ballistic missiles at the start of their flight.
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP. is developing the laser's beam control.
(Reuters 05:59 PM ET 07/07/2003)

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