Hard.Copy - 03 October 1997
ARTICLE CITATIONS GATHERED FROM COMMERCIALLY PUBLISHED
JOURNALS AND NEWSLETTERS.
Outrider UAV Completes Longest Mission.
Aerospace Daily, Oct 03, 1997, p 21
The Outrider UAV completed its longest mission to date, flying 28
minutes from its test site at Hondo, Texas.
White Sands Launch Marks Start Of PAC-3 Development Testing.
Aerospace Daily, Sep 30, 1997, p 484
The Army began developmental testing of the PAC-3 missile with a test
at White Sands Missile Range, NM. Some of the objectives for the first
18 development and operational tests were launch verification and
flight functions.
Washington Outlook: Black Budget Bust.
Aviation Week & Space Technology, James R. Asker, Sep 29, 1997, p 21
Solid evidence of heavy cuts in "black" budgets may come in this form:
the USAF is willing to support the Army's proposed ASAT laser
experiment. Tests with the Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser could
lead to an operational anti-satellite capability that would become
more robust as the [USAF's] black technology is fed into the program,"
a BMDO official said.
First Phase Of DSP-SBIRS Transition Underway.
Aviation Week & Space Technology,
William B. Scott, Sep 29, 1997, pp 57-59
Part of the transition to the next generation SBIRS missile warning
network began recently with groundbreaking for a new ground control
station at the Buckley Air National Guard Base near Denver. To oversee
the complex evolution from DSP to SBIRS operations without a break in
missile warning capability, the 821st Space Group (SG) was activated
in May 1996 at Buckley.
Boeing Hones Turret Design.
Aviation Week & Space Technology, Sep 29, 1997, p 56
Initial water tunnel testing has confirmed the proper geometries of a
suction inlet used to reattach boundary layer air shear. The turbulent
air could degrade the focus and performance of the laser weapon of the
planned Airborne Laser (ABL) aircraft. The inlet creates a trailing,
partial vacuum. The passive flow system is needed when the laser is
aimed at angles 30-degrees or more for the aircraft's direction of
flight.
Portrait Of A Bad Idea.
Bulletin Of The Atomic Scientists,
George Lewis & Theodore Postol, Jul 01, 1997, pp 18-25
Proposed changes to the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty to allow the
development of missile defenses disguised as theater defenses would
undercut the ABM Treaty and ultimately endanger US security. The
planned defenses would be too weak to be reliable but could provoke a
Russian overreaction.
Navy Upper Tier Test Unsuccessful Due To Missile Error.
Defense Daily, Sep 20, 1997, pp 527-528
The first flight of the Navy Upper Tier, or Theater Wide, ballistic
missile defense system was declared a "No-Test" after the missile lost
control and self-destructed on 09/26/97.
Orbital Successfully Launches Missile Defense Target.
Defense Daily, Oct 01, 1997, p 5
Orbital Sciences Corp. successfully launched a suborbital target on
9/24/97. The target is being evaluated by the Army for testing theater
missile defense systems.
Army Wants To Fire Laser Into Space.
Defense Daily, Bryan Bender, Oct 01, 1997, p 3
The Army wants permission from SecDef Cohen to fire its MIRACL
ground-based laser into space to assess the vulnerability of the US
fleet of satellites.
NDP Report Will Focus On Threats, Not Cuts.
Defense News, Sep 22, 1997, p 3, 60
The NDP, a panel of outside advisers, charged with developing a road
map for the US military is likely to recommend protecting several
high-tech projects, but offers no advice on how to cover costs.
Senators Claim Internet Aids Arms Proliferation.
Defense News, Jeff Erlich, Sep 29, 1997, p 22
Members of the US Senate believe that the internet is becoming an
avenue for weapons proliferation that has little or no safeguards.
Information on missile guidance systems and warheads may allow less
technologically advanced adversaries to design and build weapons that
may put the US at risk.
UAV Producers See Strong International Demand.
Defense Week, David Ruppe, Sep 29, 1997, p 7
According to the US producers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), tight
defense spending worldwide, the advent of information-age warfare, and
the lead of American technology have created strong international
demand for strike and reconnaissance UAVs currently under development.
GAO: Delay Outrider Production.
Defense Week, Colin Clark, Sep 29, 1997, p 5
A recently released GAO report charges that the Outrider drone being
built by DoD may not meet the military's own needs and will not be
sufficiently tested before production begins.
Patriot PAC-3 Test Set For Today.
Defense Week, John Donnelly, Sep 29, 1997, p 3
The Army plans to launch the first of two non-intercept tests at WSMR
of the new PAC-3 interceptor and attendant radar, communications and
software upgrades. The flight will be followed by twelve intercepts,
starting in January.
Closed-Loop Test Marks Transfer Of SBL To Air Force.
Inside Missile Defense, John Liang, Sep 24, 1997, pp 1, 12-13
The testing of the Alpha-LAMP Integration program is designed to show
that a high-powered laser beam can be focused to a point where it
could illuminate and destroy a ballistic missile during the missile's
boost- and mid-course phases. This test marks the end of BMDO's role
as executing agent for the program and transfer of that authority to
the Air Force.
BMDO To Conduct Eight Additional Flight Tests For NMD Program.
Inside Missile Defense, John Liang, Sep 24, 1997, pp 4-5
As a result of lawmakers adding $474m to BMDO's national missile
defense (NMD) program, the agency plans to add up to eight additional
NMD tests between now and fiscal year 2003, NMD Joint Program Office
Director BrigGen Cosumano announced last week.
Restructuring Of AIT Program May Mean Contract Will Be Re-Competed.
Inside Missile Defense, Daniel Dupont, Sep 24, 1997, p 2
The restructuring of the Atmospheric Interceptor Technology (AIT)
program to encompass specific service requirements may mean the
recompetition of the AIT contract awarded in 1995 to Lockheed Martin.
In August, BMDO took steps to ensure Army, Navy and Air Force
requirements for future interceptor technologies were manifested in
the AIT program.
MEADS May be Terminated After 1999: NATO Envoy: As 'Most Promising'
Alliance Effort, MEADS Must Be Funded.
Inside Missile Defense, John Liang, Sep 24, 1997, pp 6-7
The United States' NATO Ambassador Robert Hunter said if the US wants
its allies to share future weapon system development costs, it must
first demonstrate greater commitment to the most important ongoing
international effort, the Medium Extended Air Defense System, MEADS.
Continuing THAAD Probe, GAO Advocates More Testing, Better Targets.
Inside Missile Defense, Daniel Dupont, Sep 24, 1997, p 8
Continuing its close scrutiny of THAAD, the General Accounting Office,
GAO, has urged DoD to delay production of the missile system until
after significant testing is conducted, and to include in the future
years defense plan enough funding to develop an adequate target for
that testing. The GAO report on THAAD Acquisition Plan is included
with this article.
BMDO Dollars Needed For Air Force Smart Weapon Technology Demo.
Inside Missile Defense, Gigi Whitley, Sep 24, 1997, pp 13-14
Low Cost Autonomous Attack System developers are hoping a successful
series of tests will persuade the BMDO and other potential sponsors to
come up with about $20m for a complete demonstration.
Navy Adopts 'Evolutionary Deployment' Strategy
To Expedite TMD Programs.
Inside Missile Defense, John Liang, Sep 24, 1997, pp 1, 14
The Navy has mapped out an "evolutionary deployment approach" for
accelerating its Area and Theater-Wide missile defense programs and
wants to attain initial operating capability for both systems as soon
as possible.
GAO Report Says Turbulence May Be Too Much For Airborne Laser To
Handle. Inside Missile Defense, Gigi Whitley, Pamela Hess, John Liang,
Sep 24, 1997, pp 1, 16-17
A recent draft GAO report states that the Air Force's multi-billion
dollar Airborne Laser may not be able to shoot down theater ballistic
missiles as designed because the amount of turbulence it encounters
may be too great to overcome.
Facing Pressure From OSD, Army And BMDO To Scrub THAAD Program, Costs.
Inside Missile Defense, Daniel Dupont, Sep 24, 1997, p 7
Facing increased pressure from OSD because of cost growth and program
delays, the Army and BMDO have embarked on a top-to-bottom review of
the THAAD system to determine if it is still affordable according to
program officials.
BMDO Liberalizes Use Of Boosters In NMD Integration Bids.
Inside the Pentagon, Elaine M. Grossman, Oct 02, 1997, pp 3-4
BMDO has revised its industry solicitation for NMD to include
refurbished Minuteman ICBM boosters in their interceptor missile
concepts without having to take into account the sunk cost.
Bowing To Pressure From Sens. Lott, Smith:
Air Force Pledges To Hike FY99 Space.
Inside The Pentagon, Douglas Berenson, Oct 02, 1997, p 3
The USAF will seek additional funding for the SBL program in FY99 in
response to demands of two senators, who hope that additional research
would make the SBL program a cohesive element in a future NMD program.
Experts Say QDR Fails To Address Budget Problems, Tomorrow's Wars.
Inside the Pentagon, Elaine M. Grossman, Oct 02, 1997, pp 13-14
A panel of experts criticized the Defense Department's QDR, saying it
ignores shortfalls in the future budget, wishes away bookkeeping
problems and fails to prepare for future warfare, when enemy nations
or groups find weak points in the United States' high-technology
force.
Air Force Plan To Become Space Power Called Premature
By Pentagon Official.
National Defense, Sandra I. Meadows, Oct 01, 1997, pp 18-21
While the Air Force wants to be known as the "air and space force,"
its desire is at best premature. Gen. Robert Dickman stated that
space-based assets affect all the services, not simply the Air Force.
Presently the US has not committed itself to prepare for combat in
space and until it does a space force is not a viable option.
Congressman Denounces Administration's Space Program
As Vehicle For Foreign Aid.
National Defense, Sandra I. Meadows, Oct 01, 1997, pp 20-21
Rep. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-WI) believes that hundreds of
millions of dollars spent on joint US-Russian cooperative space
ventures are really foreign aid in disguise. Rep. Sensenbrenner
alleges that NASA is combining scientific goals with a political
agenda of not embarrassing its international partners. Other partners
in the ISS (International Space Station) include Canada, Japan,
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden,
Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Second Thoughts: Antipathetic Lawmakers, Pressure To Cut Overhead
Costs Presage Bleak Outlook For Defense Budget.
National Defense, Sandra I. Meadows, Oct 01, 1997, p 4
Pentagon leaders are growing increasingly worried that in the next
several years it may encounter even greater opposition to stable
spending levels. Changing demographics, the impetus toward balanced
budgets, and overall congressional and constituent apathy threaten to
undermine the Defense Department's allies.
Launchers Pose Problem.
Space News, Warren Ferster, Sep 29, 1997, pp 4,19
The US should do more to discourage current and prospective members of
the international Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) from
developing space launchers. The MTCR is a voluntary regime designed to
stop the spread of missile related technology.
Appropriators Still Fear Conflict In SBIRS Role.
Space News, Sep 29, 1997, p 2
Congressional appropriators are concerned that Lockheed Martin's role
as overall integrator of the Air Force's space-based missile warning
and tracking architecture may give the company an unfair advantage in
the competition to build the low-Earth-orbiting satellites for the
system.
Critics Say Gore Left Moscow Empty-Handed.
Space News, Steve Rodan and Pyotr Yudin, Sep 29, 1997, pp 4,19
Russian PM Chernomyrdin made no promises to curb Russian technology
transfer with Iran during his recent meetings with VP Gore. Israel is
upset over this issue because Russia is helping Iran develop
technology that could be used to build ballistic missiles and other
nuclear weapons.
Ship Killers From Low Earth Orbit.
US Naval Institute Proceedings, Kenneth Roy, Oct 01, 1997, pp 40-43
Weapons in low earth orbit pose a potential threat to surface forces,
including carriers. With the advent of launch technologies and its
rapid evolution, Navy carriers are particularly vulnerable to surprise
attacks.
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