ACCESSION NUMBER:379960
FILE ID:PO3205
DATE:02/21/95
TITLE:FOUR NATO NATIONS MOVE TO DEVELOP JOINT AIR DEFENSE PROGRAM (02/21/95)
TEXT:*95022105.PO3
FOUR NATO NATIONS MOVE TO DEVELOP JOINT AIR DEFENSE PROGRAM
(Deutch: System is milestone in trans-Atlantic defense) (000)
By Jacquelyn S. Porth
USIA Security Affairs Correspondent
Washington -- The agreement by the United States, France, Germany and Italy
to work together to develop and produce a medium-to-low altitude tactical
air defense system represents "an important milestone in trans-Atlantic
defense cooperation," says Deputy Secretary of Defense John Deutch.
1alled the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS), the project is
expected to become operational in the year 2005. On February 20, Deutch
and defense representatives from the three other NATO countries signed a
statement of intent (SOI) in Bonn for the mobile system which is designed
to provide limited area defense and protection of maneuver forces against
the increasing threat of tactical ballistic missiles and air-breathing
targets, including cruise missiles.
The Clinton administration "has given high priority to cooperation in
Theater Missile Defense (TMD)," Deutch said in a statement released
February 21. "Other nations' scientific and technical excellence continues
to contribute to the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) program. The SOI
takes that cooperation one step further and establishes the framework for
developing and deploying effective and interoperable systems."
Under the terms of the agreement, the United States will be responsible for
50 percent of the cost and work of the program; France and Germany will
provide 20 percent; and Italy will handle 10 percent.
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology Paul Kaminski told
reporters at the Pentagon on February 21 that MEADS will provide a
critically important capability in an "uncertain world." It will counter
threats which already exist today, he said, as well as ones "in the
foreseeable future."
MEADS is "a vital portion of our overall plan for theater missile defenses"
and "a top priority" in the U.S. missile defense program, Kaminski said.
Kaminski also noted that the program reflects the priority the Defense
Department places on expanding "cooperative international programs" which
will help modernize U.S. defense forces "at an affordable cost."
The United States, he said, is cooperating with its allies for political,
military and economic reasons.
"These programs help strengthen the...military and the industrial
relationships among our countries that bind our nations together in a
strong, international security relationship where we are facing a common
threat," he said.
Joint development and production also facilitates the possibility of
increased coalition operations in the future when allies need "to deploy
forces with equipment that is interoperable and rationalized from the
standpoint of logistical support," he said.
From an economic standpoint, Kaminski said, "tight budgets on both sides of
the Atlantic have driven the need to pool resources and to achieve some
economies of scale in development and production. What we cannot afford
individually may be affordable with a common joint activity." He described
MEADS as "the very model of a program required in a post-Cold War world,
when we will still face dangerous threats with reduced budgets."
The quadripartite statement of intent which Deutch signed on February 20
must now be negotiated into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which U.S.
officials hope will be accomplished by October.
Principal Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Jan Lodal, who also briefed
reporters January 21, described the program as "unique" because it is
larger than any other previous joint development project. It also
represents "an equal partnership" among the participants from the beginning
of the project, he said.
MEADS focuses on "a diverse set of threats" rather than "a single Soviet
threat as we did in these types of programs with our NATO allies during the
Cold War," he explained. The program also focuses on threats which are of
interest to the entire alliance and not just the United States, he added.
1
The official said the program will help defend against cruise missile
attacks against "point targets." MEADS will be considerably "more mobile"
than the Patriot 3 system which is currently being developed as a defense
against future Scud missile threats, he explained.
Noting that it is possible for additional NATO countries to join in the
MEADS project in the future, Kaminski did not rule out the possibility of
future Russian participation.
Asked about the relationship between MEADS and the 1972 Anti-Ballistic
Missile (ABM) System, Kaminski said Pentagon officials do not anticipate
the ABM Treaty would constrain development.
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