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Further Reading

Hard.Copy - 27 February 1998

Conventional Role Eyed For Advanced Cruise Missile. 
Aerospace Daily, Feb 20, 1998, pp 283, 285A
The USAF may deploy a limited number of AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missiles
with conventional warheads for use against certain high-value targets. 
Panel Looks At Proliferation. 
Aerospace Daily, Feb 23, 1998, p 267
Missile technology proliferation will get a close look by the Senate
Government Affairs subcommittee on international security and
proliferation. The committee will also take a look at issues involving
arms and export control, ballistic missile defense and nuclear
deterrence. 
Minister Denies Reports Moscow ABM System To Be Strengthened. 
Aerospace Daily, Feb 20, 1998, p 290
Recent reports out of Russia claimed the country had decided to revive
the nuclear-armed anti-ballistic missile system around Moscow. These
reports have been denied by Russia's Defense Minister Marshal Igor D.
Sergeyev, stating that the nuclear umbrella is gone and won't be back. 
Senators Want Alaska And Hawaii In NMD Plans. 
Aerospace Daily, Feb 20, 1998, p 285
Some Republican lawmakers are concerned that the NMD program may not be
capable of protecting Alaska and Hawaii. The proposed NMD system will
have a single site at Grand Forks, ND, that will be capable of defending
all 50 states against an attack. However, some contractors believe total
coverage is not possible from this one site and adding another is
limited by the ABM Treaty. 
Clinton Issues New Guidelines On US Nuclear Weapons Doctrine. 
Arms Control Today, Craig Cerniello, Dec 01, 1997, p 23
The Clinton administration has made a change to the strategic nuclear
doctrine, abandoning guidelines issued by the Reagan administration in
1981. The administration has dropped the doctrine that the US must be
able to fight and win a protracted nuclear war. This decision stems from
the premise that nuclear weapons in the cold-war era are primarily for
deterrence. 
IAEA Begins Monitoring Conversion Of HEU From US Nuclear Stockpile. 
Arms Control Today, Howard Diamond, Dec 01, 1997, p 26
The International Atomic Energy Agency began monitoring the conversion
of weapon-usable uranium from the US nuclear stockpile on December 1,
1997. The IAEA has never before overseen the demilitarization of fissile
material produced for the US nuclear stockpile, the IAEA will verify the
conversion of HEU to low enriched uranium (LEU), a form that can be used
in civilian power plants. 
The US-Russian Strategic Arms Control Agenda. 
Arms Control Today. Jack Mendelsohn, Dec 01, 1997, pp 12-16
This article discusses the US and Russian agenda on strategic arms
control. Of major concern to the Russians are the national security
questions involving NATO expansion, the development and deployment of
theater missile defense systems, and the threat to the ABM Treaty. This
article discusses the changes to START II ratification and also examines
ballistic missile defense in terms of the US-Russian relationship that
may be posed if they ratify START II. 
NDP Report Says Wait On NMD, But Not On Nuclear Reductions. 
Arms Control Today, Craig Cerniello, Dec 01, 1997, p 22
Part of the NDP's analysis of the US defense and security requirements
through 2020 recommended that the US and Russia move to START III
agreement as quickly as possible and reaffirmed the Clinton
administration's stand on national missile defense. 
Multilateral Arms Control: Can The CD Break The Impasse?. 
Arms Control Today, Rebecca Johnson, Dec 01, 1997, pp 17-21
Although 1997 proved to be a successful year for multilateral arms
control efforts, the multilateral Conference on Disarmament (CD) was not
able to agree on any program of work throughout 1997. The author of this
article claims that the CD, the main forum for disarmament negotiations
such as a ban on the production of fissile materials for weapons
purposes, has not been an effective forum. The author concludes that the
CD has real power, although limited, and needs to work out an effective
role as a multilateral non-proliferation regime. 
The Future Of Nuclear Weapons Without Nuclear Testing. 
Arms Control Today. Richard L. Garvin, Dec 01, 1997, pp 3-11
This article addresses the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the effect
it will have on the future of US nuclear weapons. The author discusses
several key questions including the confidence, security, and
reliability of existing weapons, the possible constraints for new types
of nuclear weapons and finally, how the treaty will contribute to
preventing proliferation of nuclear weapons. 
Factfile: 1996 UN Conventional Arms Register. 
Arms Control Today, Dec 01, 1997, pp 30-31
This chart includes the 26 countries that reported exports for the
register's seven categories of major conventional weapons and the
recipient states. 
Scud Missile Warning Time Cut To Seconds. 
Aviation Week & Space Technology, 
William B. Scott, Feb 23, 1998, p 108
Activated three years ago, the US Air Force 11th Space Warning Squadron,
a unit of the 21st Space Wing, is poised to detect surprise Scud-class
missile launches and transmit warnings throughout the Persian Gulf
region in a matter of seconds. The Alert System relies on infrared data
from the DSP satellites and other classified systems to identify missile
launches, but processes and routes the information more efficiently than
was possible in 1991. 
Wargame Raises New Space Policy Dilemmas. 
Aviation Week & Space Technology. 
William B. Scott, Feb 23, 1998, pp 98, 101
Space Game 2 and other wargames during the past year have revealed that
the US, its allies and even potential adversaries increasingly rely on
commercial satellite systems for military purposes. This blending of
defense, civil and commercial use raises questions about international
space policies, vulnerabilities and what constitutes an act of war in
space during times of heightened international tensions. 
BMDO Directorate Plans Seven Research Awards. 
BMD Monitor, Feb 20, 1998, p 71
Under the FY98 Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive
Research, seven university professors are in line for funds from BMDO's
Science and Technology Directorate. 
GAO: Yes, DoD Can Estimate The Costs Of Missile Disposal. 
BMD Monitor, Feb 20, 1998, pp 70-71
According to a GAO report, DoD can determine the cost of missile
disposal and therefore comply with an ignored federal accounting
standard. This is part of a new Statement of Federal Financial
Accounting Standards which require government agencies to work out costs
in various categories, including missiles. 
Cohen Visits CTR Site Near Moscow. 
BMD Monitor, Feb 20, 1998, p 67
SecDef William Cohen visited a US-Russia Cooperative Threat Reduction
site near Moscow. Nuclear weapons security has been the main issue of
the CTR since its inception in 1992. 
Today's TMD Much Improved Over Gulf War Show. 
BMD Monitor, Feb 20, 1998, p 64
As forces build up in the Persian Gulf, protection for US forces against
a ballistic missile attack are greatly improved from the Gulf War. The
theater missile defense system has a more efficient battle management
plan and a new version of the PAC-3 is scattered throughout Southwest
Asia. 
Former CIA Directors See Uncertainty In The Threat Mix. 
BMD Monitor, Feb 20, 1998, pp 61-62
Two former CIA top managers, John Deutch and R. James Woolsey outlined
their views on the current threat situation to the House National
Security Council last week. Both agreed that Russia and China are still
among our top security concerns, as well as rogue states that will not
give up their quest for nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
Woolsey also commented that the improvements to TMD and NMD are
important to deter a North Korean attack. 
Iran Is Not Iraq. 
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Eric Arnett, Dec 01, 1997, pp 12-14
Although Iran is no model citizen, the author argues that Iran is not
like Iraq and that the Clinton administration's policy of dual
containment, categorizing both as "rogue states" that need to be
isolated diplomatically and economically, will most certainly unravel
any attempt at arms control. 
Test Ban One, Opposition Zero. 
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Tom Zamora Collina, Feb 01, 1998, p 4
This article claims that we should have high confidence in the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty because the alleged "seismic event" in
Russia was not a nuclear test but rather an earthquake or explosion.
This the author claims proves the small nuclear tests could be detected
and therefore deterred. 
Call It A MIRACL. 
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Todd Lowery, Feb 01, 1998, pp 5-6
This article discusses the reborn Mid-Infrared Chemical Laser program as
a new defensive tool. The MIRACL was tested in October 1997 and was
determined a partial success, although there have been some disputes as
to whether it is a defensive weapon or an anti-satellite weapon. 
Gansler Says He Is Committed To Deployment Of Missile Defenses. 
Defense Daily. Sheila Foote, Feb 27, 1998, pp 5-6
In one of the strongest statements made by an administration official in
support of national missile defense (NMD), new DoD acquisition chief
Jacques Gansler told Congress that he is committed to deploying a NMD
system. Congressional defense hawks, mainly Republicans, have repeatedly
expressed their view that the administration is 
not committed to deployment of a NMD system. 
Team ABL Sets Date For First Missile Intercept Test. 
Defense Daily. Greg Caires, Feb 27, 1998, p 8
The Air Force's Airborne Laser (ABL) prototype being developed by a team
led by Boeing is scheduled to conduct its first missile intercept test
on Sept. 5, 2002. 
Air Force Destroys Minuteman III ICBM During Flight Test. 
Defense Daily. Matthew Johnson and Greg Caires, Feb 23, 1998, pp 6-7
The Air Force was forced to destroy an unarmed Minuteman III
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) during a flight test last week
due to a possible guidance problem, marking the first ICBM test failure
since 1992. 
Older Patriot Missiles Still Dominate Mideast Defenses. 
Defense Week, John Donnelly, Feb 23, 1998, pp 1, 16
More than half of the US Patriot missiles now deployed in the Persian
Gulf to face a potential Scud attack from Saddam Hussein are the same
models that failed to intercept so many of his Scuds during the 1991
Gulf War. 
Remaking Of Eurasia. 
Foreign Affairs, Valery V. Tsepkalo, Mar 01, 1998, pp 107-126
Russia's post-Soviet orientation is in serious trouble. The West does
not want to see any structure in Eurasia that permits Russian hegemony,
but abetting continued chaos in the former Soviet space is hardly in the
West's interest. Central Asia and the Caucasus are rife with flash
points that could ignite and draw in outside powers, and the presence of
nuclear weapons raises the stakes even higher. The United States should
support integration, not division. For its part, Russia should work with
nearby countries to help unite diverse peoples in a stabler system. 
Russia's Tactical Nuclear Weapons Are Source Of Growing Concern. 
Inside the Pentagon, Feb 20, 1998, pp 1, 13-14
The prospects of new arms control agreements or threat-reduction efforts
with Russia are dim. Despite warnings from top defense officials and
experts, there is no serious movement to make this an issue at future
arms control talks. Included in this article is a chart on the estimated
Russian stockpile of non-strategic operational forces. 
UNSCOM Inspectors Still Doubt Iraq's Arms Claims.
Jane's Defence Weekly, Barbara Starr, Feb 25, 1998, p 18
Iraq claims it has destroyed all 120 SCUD warheads it produced but
UNSCOM only supervised the destruction of 15 warheads and more have
recently been found. Iraq also claims it melted 63 indigenous SCUD
engines, 53 of which failed quality controls, but this is not considered
believable by UNSCOM. 
Contamination Fears In War Against WMD. 
Jane's Defence Weekly, Bryan Bender, Feb 25, 1998, p 8
The inability of the US armed forces to guarantee the safe destruction
of chemical and biological weapons is likely to result in additional
resources for the development of "agent-defeating" munitions. The DoD
has admitted it lacks an operational weapon system designed to defeat
chemical and biological agents without contaminating surrounding areas.
The Air Force Research Laboratory at Eglin AFB initiated an
agent-defeating weapons development program several years ago, although
it is still in the concept definition phase. 
India Ready For Lift-Off On Agni Missile Production. 
Jane's Defence Weekly, Pravin Sawhney, Feb 25, 1998, p 17
India's Agni IRBM program is ready to go into production, according to
top scientists at the Indian MoD's Defense Research and Development
Organization (DRDO). According to the DRDO, the integral rocket ramjet
propulsion system of the 25km-range Akash SAM has been proven. The
system uses the indigenously developed Rajendra 3-D phased array radar
for target detection, tracking and command guidance. 
Japan Plans Ballistic Missile Defense Decision. 
Jane's Defence Weekly, Feb 25, 1998, p 3
Tokyo is gearing up its BMD feasibility study, due to be released in
April next year. According to officials at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MOFA), Japan is "not yet ready to make a full policy judgment
on BMD but we are working on a joint technical resources report." An
MOFA official said, "We estimate that Japan has some technologies which
are unique and so we will be able to contribute to American's programs
as well." 
UK To Join European TMD Assessment. 
Jane's International Defense Review, Feb 01, 1998, p 6
A UK Royal Air Force (RAF) strike aircraft will take part in the largest
European based TMD assessment series, joining Denmark, German, The
Netherlands and the US during the Joint Project Optic Windmill-3
(JPOW-3) exercise in April and May this year. This is the first time
that the UK has participated in this exercise.