 The first large difference between the ground-based Vigilant Eagle and other aircraft protection systems is the lower cost between it and its rivals.Mike Booen, Raytheon’s chief of directed-energy programs estimates that the system can be built for about $25 million per airport if the system is deployed in at least twenty-five airports.Of all the airports located within the U.S., the top 31 airports account for 70 percent of the country’s takeoffs and landings.