DATE=5/24/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249739
TITLE=U-S MISSILE TEST (L-ONITER)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// EDS: MISSILE TEST SCHEDULED FOR 2 P.M. EDT TUESDAY ///
INTRO: THE U-S MILITARY IS HOLDING AN IMPORTANT TEST
(TODAY/TUESDAY) OF A SYSTEM TO SHOOT DOWN BALLISTIC MISSILES
AIMED AT THE UNITED STATES. AMERICAN SCIENTISTS HAVE SPENT
DECADES, AND ABOUT 100-BILLION DOLLARS, TRYING TO SHOOT DOWN SUCH
WARHEADS, BUT HAVE RARELY SUCCEEDED. SOME CRITICS SAY ANOTHER
FAILURE COULD THREATEN THE TROUBLED PROGRAM. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE
HAS THIS PREVIEW.
TEXT: THE GOAL IS TO DESTROY NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL
WARHEADS BEFORE THEY GET ANYWHERE NEAR THE UNITED STATES. TO DO
THAT, ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE SYSTEMS USE POWERFUL RADARS TO
DETECT AND TRACK INCOMING MISSILES. SMALL, SWIFT, MISSILES ARE
THEN SUPPOSED TO STRIKE AND DESTROY THE WARHEADS. MILITARY
OFFICERS SAY IT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT -- MUCH LIKE TRYING TO
HIT A BULLET WITH ANOTHER BULLET. OF SEVERAL U-S SYSTEMS UNDER
DEVELOPMENT, THE MOST ADVANCED IS CALLED THE THEATER HIGH
ALTITUDE AREA DEFENSE SYSTEM, OR "THAAD."
SO FAR, "THAAD" INTERCEPTORS HAVE MISSED THEIR TARGETS SIX TIMES,
IN A STRING OF COSTLY AND EMBARRASSING FAILURES. THE OFFICERS
WHO HEAD THE PENTAGON'S BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE ORGANIZATION
SAY THEY HAVE CORRECTED THE PROBLEMS.
BUT DEFENSE ANALYST JOHN PIKE, OF THE FEDERATION OF AMERICAN
SCIENTISTS SAYS THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT YET UP TO THE TASK.
/// FIRST PIKE ACT ///
WELL, WE'VE BEEN TESTING THIS SORT OF ANTI-MISSILE
INTERCEPTOR FOR 15 YEARS NOW, [AND] HAVE HAD A VERY HARD
TIME HITTING ANYTHING. I DON'T THINK WE ARE GOING TO
HAVE CONSISTENT SUCCESS WITH THESE INTERCEPTORS ANY TIME
SOON. BUT WE CONTINUE TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON THEM.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A RELIABLE WEAPONS SYSTEM ANY
TIME SOON.
/// END ACT ///
OTHER ANALYSTS SAY ANOTHER MISS [ANOTHER UNSUCCESSFUL TEST] WOULD
WEAKEN CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS NEEDED
TO COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF THE "THAAD" SYSTEM.
MEANTIME, THE U-S NAVY IS WORKING ON A COMPETING ANTI-MISSILE
SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD BUILD ON AIR-DEFENSE WEAPONS NOW DEPLOYED ON
AMERICA'S MOST ADVANCED WARSHIPS. THE IDEA IS TO STRENGTHEN THE
NAVY'S "AEGIS" [PRON: 'EE-DZHISS] SYSTEM WITH MORE POWERFUL
RADARS, STRONGER COMPUTERS AND BETTER MISSILES. BUT THE NAVY'S
SYSTEM IS EVEN FARTHER FROM COMPLETION THAN "THAAD."
SOME REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SAY WASHINGTON SHOULD DO
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK, BECAUSE MORE AND MORE
NATIONS ARE DEVELOPING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND THE
MISSILES TO DELIVER THEM.
PENNSYLVANIA CONGRESSMAN CURT WELDON POINTS TO LAST YEAR'S LAUNCH
OF A NORTH KOREAN MISSILE OVER JAPAN AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE
GROWING THREAT FROM REGIMES HOSTILE TO THE UNITED STATES.
/// REST OPT ///
EVEN CRITICS OF MISSILE DEFENSES, LIKE JOHN PIKE, SAY THEY ARE A
VERY APPEALING IDEA.
/// SECOND PIKE ACT ///
IT WOULD BE VERY NICE IF IT DID WORK. IT WOULD
BASICALLY MAKE THE THREAT FROM NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL,
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS LAUNCHED ON BALLISTIC MISSILES GO
AWAY. IT WOULD CERTAINLY TO THE ALTERNATIVE WE HAVE
LIVED WITH FOR THE LAST HALF CENTURY, THREATENING TO
BLOW UP ANY COUNTRY THAT TRIES TO BLOW US UP.
/// END ACT ///
BUT SUPPORTERS OF MISSILE DEFENSES SAY DETERRING ATTACKS ON THE
UNITED STATES BY THREATENING DEVASTATING RETALIATION MIGHT NOT
WORK IF AMERICA IS THREATENED BY IRRATIONAL ROGUE STATES,
TERRORISTS, OR ACCIDENTAL MISSILE LAUNCHES. (SIGNED)
NEB/JR/WTW
24-May-99 7:10 PM EDT (2310 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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