[THAAD & DPRK EXCERPTS]
DoD News Briefing Thursday, March 6, 1997 - 1:45 p.m.
br>Captain Mike Doubleday, USN, DASD (PA)
Q: I wanted to ask you a question about this missile test today out at White Sands. I understand that Paul Kaminski had said a couple of weeks ago, if there were additional failures in that series of intercept flights, the THAAD program might be, the objective of having a system fielded by the year 2004 might be pushed back or the program might be restructured in some way. Are you now contemplating changing that program?
A: I think it's too early to tell. This was a test that took place this morning at White Sands, and it was the fourth intercept attempt. The intercept was not achieved. What we're doing now with officials from the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization and the Army, they're looking at data from the test to determine either the cause, or causes, for the malfunction, and then they'll put together a report. Based on what they find, there will have to be some kind of a determination made about the test program and the schedule for that program. So, I think it's too early at this point to really forecast what will occur as a result of this test today.
Q: What about qualitatively? Is this a blow to the program at this point?
A: It certainly is not a result we had hoped for. This is a very important program to us, and one that we have a lot of interest in pursuing and keeping on track. But, as I say, they're going to have to do some analysis before they can really make a determination as to what the next step will be.
Q: Does that include when the next flight test would be, if there would be another one?
A: The present schedule shows the next test in June of 1997, but I think it's too early at this point to determine exactly what the schedule will be and whether that June test will be affected by this.
Q: Do you know how much it missed by?
A: I don't have any details at this point. I believe the folks at BMDO are putting together the data, with an eye toward perhaps having some kind of a get-together with those of you who are interested some time next week to kind of go over what they know at that point and give you a read-out on it.
Q: Do you know what we've spent on THAAD so far?
A: I know that the FY98 budget request is $560.6 million. The total amount appropriated for THAAD development since its inception, which was in 1990, is $2.46 billion.
Q: To date?
A: To date. That's appropriated to date.
Q: Have you ruled out yet that the failure was caused by the target, not the missile?
A: I don't think they have enough information at this point to judge that. As I say, they're taking a look at the data and as soon as they can put something together, they'll provide a read-out for you.
Q: What were the results of the previous failures? Was there a continuity in all the other test failures in the same problem area, or ...
A: I'll give you a rundown: the first one was a booster separation malfunction, the second one was a command and control malfunction, and the third one was a "Seeker" malfunction -- that is, the eye of the intercept malfunction.
Q: It doesn't sound like a real successful program.
Q: The talks with the Koreans yesterday, the announcement that there will be no joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea ...
A: Just let me stop you right there. That is not what was announced. It had to do with TEAM SPIRIT, which is one of many exercises we do with the South Koreans. But, the TEAM SPIRIT exercise, indeed, was canceled for this year.
Q: So that's a periodic military exercise.
A: That's an exercise that has been going on for many years. In fact, it began in 1976. It continued until 1991. It was last held in 1993.
Q: It's been reported that there will be some confidence- building measures initiated between the armies that are posed across the DMZ, I guess that would include the U.S. Army, South Korea, and the North Korean Army. Can you elaborate on that? Confidence-building measures?
A: No, I can't. In fact, I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to there. I do know that, at this point, the next step in the process ... And by the way, these meetings up there in New York were for the purpose of ensuring that the North Koreans were aware of the process and the reasons for having this proposal, which was suggested last year to have four-way talks between the North Koreans, South Koreans, Chinese, and United States. There will be, as I understand it, a meeting on Friday, a bilateral meeting, for the purpose of discussing bilateral issues -- including repatriation of remains, which is a process that we have going on.
Q: Understood. I take it then there is no time frame on the response of the North Koreans to the four-party proposal?
A: No, they indicated ... The meeting took place yesterday, and as I understand it, it ran for the better part of a day, and the North Koreans indicated that they needed to consult with their government and would get back to the other parties, but gave no timetable for that.
Q: The bilateral meeting you mentioned, that's between the United States and North Korea?
A: That's correct. That's where the remains are.
Q: Do you know where the meeting will be held?
A: It's up there in New York. It is a variety of bilateral issues, but that is one example of the kinds of things that we discuss with the North Koreans.
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