Antisatellite laser weapons deleted from defense bill

摘要

In early May, the House Armed Services Committee deleted funding for an ongoing Air Force effort to develop antisatellite laser weapons from the fiscal 2007 defense authorization bill. With publicly identified funding of dollar6.5 million a year, that effort accounted for only a small fraction of all Pentagon spending on laser weapons; however, it was the only program in the unclassified Air Force budget proposal identified as aimed at antisatellite-weapon applications. The committee specifically noted its concern about "the potential applicability of this technology development for antisatellite and advanced weapons capabilities." Its mark-up of the authorization bill directed that "none of the funds authorized for this program element shall be used for development or demonstration of laser space technologies with antisatellite-weapons purposes." The panel urged the full house to approve a dollar6.5 million cut in spending. The final bill also requires Senate approval.