Amid an uncertain funding future and varying levels of support on Capitol Hill, Boeing officials contended this week that roughly 1,000 jobs -- and the United States' edge in laser technology -- are at risk if the Airborne Laser program is canceled. An operational fleet of Airborne Laser aircraft is still years -- possibly decades -- away, and Boeing estimates that the per-plane cost could be between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. The Air Force predicts that a seven-aircraft fleet...
