DATE=1/20/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244437
TITLE=MISSILE DEFENSES - L ONLY
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TOP U-S MILITARY LEADERS SAY AMERICA FACES AN IMMEDIATE
AND GROWING THREAT FROM NEW BALLISTIC MISSILES IN THE HANDS OF
"ROGUE" NATIONS. PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL PUT BILLIONS
MORE DOLLARS INTO RESEARCH AND DEPLOYMENT OF VARIOUS DEFENSES
AGAINST BALLISTIC MISSILES. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS.
TEXT: U-S OFFICIALS SAY WHEN NORTH KOREA LAUNCHED A THREE STAGE
ROCKET LAST AUGUST, IT ROARED ACROSS JAPAN AND FAR INTO THE
PACIFIC. THEY SAY IT WAS A VIVID AND UNPLEASANT EXAMPLE OF HOW
SKILLED PYONGYANG HAS GROWN IN MAKING LONGRANGE WEAPONS. DEFENSE
SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS IT SPARKED SOME NEW THINKING IN
WASHINGTON.
/// COHEN ACT ///
THE TAEPO DONG ONE TEST WAS ANOTHER STRONG INDICATOR
THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL FACE A ROGUE NATION MISSILE
THREAT AGAINST OUR HOMELAND AGANIST WHICH WE WILL HAVE
TO DEFEND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
/// END ACT ///
KOREA'S TEST CAME AS OTHER NATIONS, IRAN, PAKISTAN AND INDIA ARE
ALSO WORKING TO DEVELOP MISSILES THAT CAN GO FURTHER AND HIT MORE
ACCURATELY. SECRETARY COHEN SAYS THE UNITED STATES WILL TRY TO
MEET THE THREAT BY BOOSTING RESEARCH ON A LIMITED NATIONAL
MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM, AND POSSIBLY DEPLOYING THE WEAPON. HE
SAYS OFFICIALS WILL REVIEW THE PROGRAM IN THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND
TO SEE IF IT IS READY TO MOVE FROM RESEARCH PROJECT TO A USEABLE
SYSTEM.
THE HEAD OF THE BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE ORGANIZATION, AIR FORCE
GENERAL LESTER LYLES, SAYS THE TASK OF SHOOTING DOWN MISSILE
WARHEADS IN FLIGHT IS INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE AND STAGGERINGLY
COMPLEX.
/// LYLES ACT ///
IT IS ROCKET SCIENCE, BUT WE KNOW HOW TO DO THAT, AND WE
KNOW HOW TO DO THAT VERY WELL. WITHIN THIS COUNTRY AND
WITHIN OUR INDUSTRIES.
/// END ACT ///
HE SAYS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION WILL ASK CONGRESS FOR ANOTHER
SIX POINT SIX BILLION DOLLARS FOR THE NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE
PROGRAM. MR. COHEN SAYS THIS IS THE FIRST BUDGET THAT INCLUDES
MONEY FOR DEPLOYMENT AS WELL AS RESEARCH OFFICIALS SAY SUCH
MISSILE DEFENSES MAY CONFLICT WITH THE ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE
TREATY SIGNED BY THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION IN 1972.
MR.COHEN SAYS OFFICIALS WILL TRY TO RENEGOTIATE THE DEAL WITH
MOSCOW, BUT COULD WITHDRAW FROM THE PACT COMPLETELY IF NECESSARY.
MR. COHEN SAYS THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA EACH HAVE THOUSANDS
OF WARHEADS,BUT HAVE NOT USED THEM BECAUSE EACH FEARS RETALIATION
FROM THE OTHER.
THE DEFENSE SECRETARY SAYS THAT THE U-S LIMITED NATIONAL MISSILE
DEFENSE WOULD STOP A FEW MISSILES LAUNCHED BY NORTH KOREA, BUT
WOULD BE QUICKLY OVERWHELMED BY A MASSIVE RUSSIAN ATTACK. HE
ARGUES THIS LEAVES RUSSIA WITH AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT TO U-S
ATTACK, AND SHOULD NOT CHANGE THE STRATEGIC BALLANCE BETWEEN
WASHINGTON AND MOSCOW.
MR. COHEN SAYS THE TECHNICAL CHALLENGES POSED BY THE LIMITED
NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE ARE LIKELY TO DELAY DEPLOYMENT UNTIL
20-05. EARLIER PLANS CALLED FOR FIELDING THE SYSTEM TWO YEARS
EARLIER. MR. COHEN IS ALSO PROPOSING ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR SHORTER
RANGE, OR "THEATER" MISSILE DEFENSES THAT WOULD BE USED TO
PROTECT U-S TROOPS IN THE PERSIAN GULF,SOUTH KOREA OR DEPLOYED
ELSEWHERE. HE SAYS THE U-S ARMY'S TROUBLED "THEATER" MISSILE
DEFENSE PROGRAM WILL GET A COUPLE OF MORE FLIGHT TESTS BEFORE
OFFICIALS CHOOSE BETWEEN IT AND A COMPETING NAVY SYSTEM.
THE ARMY'S PROGRAM HAS COST ABOUT FOUR BILLION DOLLARS AND MISSED
FIVE OUT OF FIVE TARGETS SO FAR. THE NAVY'S SYSTEM HAS NOT YET
BEEN TESTED.
MR. COHEN ALSO SAYS A JOINT MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAM WITH GERMANY
AND ITALY CALLED MEADS (PRONO: ME-ADS) WILL BE MADE SMALLER THAN
CALLED FOR IN PREVIOUS PLANS. (SIGNED).
NEB/PT
20-Jan-99 5:18 PM EST (2218 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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