Fark linked up news of progress in the airborne laser project. In a nutshell: Boeing is trying to stuff a laser powerful enough to fry an ICBM into an airplane and, well, fry an ICBM with it. And when I say stuff, I do mean stuff. AvWeek has been following this thing for a couple of years now, and the biggest problem they're currently facing is weight. There's apparently a very real chance the laser, plus its assorted equipment and crew, will exceed the max takeoff weight of its carrier. This is with a 747, mind you. It's also not a solid-state laser, instead using all sorts of exotic chemicals in large amounts to generate the beam. Meaning, it requires ammo.

Also according to AvWeek, the second most pressing problem with the project is funding. As I recall, Congress tried to zero the whole thing out last year, and may try it again, because of cost overruns and the fact that Boeing is persona-non-grata on the hill right now. They've been caught twice with competitor's "top secret" plans in their pockets, and the top-ranking Air Force procurement officer had to resign last year over "irregularities" regarding an attempt to lease 757s as fuel tankers.

So, while nifty, this thing is actually further from flying than even the MSNBC article indicates. Still, it's a frikken laser, as big as my house! If the project gets cancelled, I want it.