The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $49 million U.S. Air Force contract to advance the state of the art in laser technology.

Under the Laser Application Support and In-house Research and Development (LASIR) contract, awarded Feb. 1, Boeing will support research, design, development and testing at Air Force Research Laboratory sites at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, N.M. Specific efforts will include:

* Working to advance gas, hybrid electric-gas and chemical laser systems, as well as technologies related to high-power fiber lasers, fiber laser pumps, non-linear optics, solid-state lasers and diode-pump lasers.

* Coordinating, preparing and executing tests of laser effects.

* Rapid prototyping of directed energy technology, including semiconductor lasers, thin-disk lasers, ultra-short lasers, laser-based infrared countermeasures, and mid-wave and long-wave infrared lasers.

* Supporting the Laser Center of Excellence, a joint Department of Defense/academic program that partners the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Air Force Research Lab, Air Force Institute of Technology, University of New Mexico and New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. The Center's efforts include gas, hybrid electric-gas and chemical laser systems.

"This Air Force program represents an important opportunity for Boeing in continuing to help develop the next generation of laser weapon technologies," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems. "The various laser technologies being developed represent potential solutions to equip the warfighter with ultra-precision engagement capability."

Boeing leads directed energy research and development for various Military applications, including the Airborne Laser, Advanced Tactical Laser, High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator and Tactical Relay Mirror System.