CURRENT CONTENTS
Summaries of recent hardcopy reporting on missile defense related issues
DoD Devising Strategy For Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense.
Aerospace Daily, Feb 25, 1997, p 290
The Pentagon plans to evaluate a number of advanced technologies for use in
a strategy to defend against cruise missiles. DoD also is undertaking a
number of cruise missile defense upgrades, and funding efforts to identify
and develop a joint JLACMD architecture.
ABM Treaty At 25: Relic Or Rebirth.
Aviation Week & Space Technology. Paul Mann, Feb 24, 1997, p 50-53
With the Soviet Union dead and missile defense technology more advanced and
available than in 1972, some critics say the ABM Treaty should be scrapped.
They deplore the technological limits imposed on US missile defense
development by an outdated pact that they claim has been eclipsed by a
series of revolutions in weapons technology. Likewise, they deplore
America's failure to deploy missile defenses when missile threats are
proliferating worldwide.
Missile Defense Design Juggles Complex Factors.
Aviation Week & Space Technology. Michael A. Dornheim, Feb 24, 1997, p 54-56
Experts agree that a hit to kill intercept is possible with current
technology, but differ on how effective it will be in a real scenario.
There is little margin for error, and unexpected events, the combat
environment and countermeasures could tip the balance. Flight test results
show it can be done, but to date the record is so spotty that there is
little reason for confidence, particularly for a system that would protect
the US from nuclear attack.
Russian Threat Still Massive.
Aviation Week & Space Technology. Joseph C. Anselmo, Feb 24, 1997, p 48-49
Russia's military might continues to wither, but US defense analysts say
that should not distract from the continuing dangers posed by its huge
nuclear arsenal. Whether the US deploys a national missile defense system
in 2003 or later, it will initially be capable of warding off just a few
missiles at a time. That will render it ineffective against a massive
Russian nuclear strike.
Missile Defense Soon, But Will It Work?.
Aviation Week & Space Technology. Michael A. Dornheim, Feb 24, 1997, p 38-39, 41
Article examines whether missile defenses will work when they are first
used in combat. The dilemma facing military leaders is whether to test
extensively before fielding, and let troops wait for years, or to quickly
field systems that may have lurking flaws, and plan to catch them later.
About two-thirds of the testing of these brand new systems will be in
simulations because the cost of flight test is so high.
US Faces Growing Arsenal Of Threats.
Aviation Week & Space Technology. Joseph C. Anselmo, Feb 24, 1997, p 44, 46, 48
Thomas G. Ward, Jr., BMDO's directory of security, intelligence and
countermeasures, examines nations that have or are seeking technologies
that would allow them to pose a missile threat to US interests. Nations
include; Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, and Libya.
Fly Away Sensors Image Missile, Decoys And RVs.
Aviation Week & Space Technology, Feb 24, 1997, p 67
To support BMDO's Theater Missile Defense Critical Measurements Program
(TCMP), a special sensor package was developed to provide close up,
inflight images of a booster and its deployed reentry vehicles. The Fly
Away Sensor Package (FASP) is ejected from the side of a missile at some
point in the trajectory, then flies in formation with the booster during
reentry.
Navy Readies Fleet For Anti-Scud Warfare.
Aviation Week & Space Technology. David Hughes, Feb 24, 1997, p 61-63
The US Navy is preparing for TMD and will start by fielding a modified
version of the Standard Missile so Aegis ships can protect ports, coastal
airfields and landing areas starting in 2002. The Jan. 24 test of a
prototype SM-2 Block 4A in destorying a Lance target was designed to
demonstrate that the integration of an infrared seeker on an RF guided
missile would not pose problems in the next phase of development.
Mix Of Simulation, Flight Testing Troubles BMDO Leaders.
Aviation Week & Space Technology. William B. Scott, Feb 24, 1997, p 64-67
BMDO leaders acknowledge concern over attaining the proper mix of modeling
and simulation, hardware in the loop and actual flight testing that can be
accomplished within demanding schedules and projected budgets. The obvious
preferred approach would be to flight test full-up missile defense
networks, both theater and national, against realistic targets as soon as
possible. However, the exorbitant costs of testing the myriad of systems
that will ultimately be arrayed against threats makes this option
unaffordable.
Patriot PAC-3 Upgrade Aimed At Multiple Threats.
Aviation Week & Space Technology. David Hughes, Feb 24, 1997, p 59-60
In Desert Storm, the Patriot PAC-2 missile, designed to intercept Scud
missiles with a 300 km. range, went up against Scuds modified by Iraq to
fly 600 km. or more. These Al Hussein missiles were so poorly designed they
broke up inflight, and this created problems. The Patriot radar had to pick
a warhead out of a cloud of debris, and the warhead tended to spiral toward
the ground. BMDO officials say that both problems are being addressed in
the Patriot upgrade program and related testing.
Army To Establish Space and Missile Defense Battle Lab.
Defense Daily. Greg Caires, Feb 26, 1997, p 296
The Army's Space and Strategic Defense Command plans to create a Space and
Missile Defense Battle Lab (SMDBL) to develop warfighting concepts, focus
military science and technology research, and conduct warfighting
experiments.
White: Shifting Funds To Services Won't Diminish BMDO.
Defense Week. John Donnelly, Feb 24, 1997, p 3
In a Feb 12 memo addressed to the service secretaries, the chairman of the
joint chiefs and other top DoD civilians, deputy secretary of defense John
White wrote that shifting missile defense procurement funding from BMDO to
the services "does not diminish" the agency's central role. BMDO will still
be "the central planner, manager and integrator for the BMD mission."
June Design Review Will Examine Viability Of CEC Airborne Sensor.
Inside Missile Defense. Thomas Duffy, Feb 26, 1997, p 1, 19
In a June critical design review, Navy CEC officials will examine Northrop
Grumman's approach to turning what was originally a ship-based system into
one that can be carried aboard an E-2C Hawkeye.
Transfer Of BMDO Money To Services Won't Diminish Priority, Oversight.
Inside Missile Defense. Daniel Dupont, Feb 26, 1997, p 9-10
In a Feb 12 memo, Deputy Defense Secretary John White stressed that the
Pentagon's recent decision to transfer procurement funds for missile
defense systems from BMDO to the services does not diminish BMDO's role as
the central planner, manager, and integrator for the BMD mission. White
also emphasized the role of BMDO Director LtGen Lyles. White's memo on the
role of the BMDO director is included with this article.
DoD Tells Congressional Auditors It Is Satisfied With THAAD Seeker Testing Plans.
Inside Missile Defense, Feb 26, 1997, p 1, 16-18
Responding to GAO concerns that a user operational evaluation system (UOES)
contract will be awarded following the success of the next THAAD test using
the current seeker, when succeeding tests will use a seeker that hasn't
been tested, DoD officials claim their decision to award the UOES option is
based upon confidence in the extensive testing conducted to date on both
the PtSi and the InSb seekers and their high degree of commonality. The DoD
response to GAO THAAD criticisms is included with this article.
BMDO Chief Approves Plans For Missile Defense Joint Technology Board.
Inside Missile Defense. John Liang, Feb 26, 1997, p 6-7
BMDO Director LtGen Lester Lyles earlier this month signed a charter
establishing a Joint Technology Board (JTBP) to bring the services together
when planning which missile defense technology investments to make. The
board will be charied by Lyles and BMDO Deputy Director R/A Dick West. The
charter is reprinted along with this article
Pentagon Officials Question Whether SMTS Can Meet NMD Requirements.
Inside Missile Defense. John Liang, Feb 26, 1997, p 1, 14
Defense Department officials are concerned the low-orbit component of the
Air Force's Space-Based Infrared System, as currently configured, may not
be able to provide sufficient warning of a ballistic missile launched from
either a sub or North Korea. Without adequate warning, a defensive response
from an anti-ballistic missile site at Grand Forks, ND, would not be able
to intercept the missiles in time.
BMDO Finds Billpayers To Fill $26 Million MEADS Funding Gap In FY97.
Inside Missile Defense. John Liang, Feb 26, 1997, p 3
BMDO officials have identified funding sources to pay for a $26.2m fiscal
year 1997 shortfall in the MEADS program, according to a December 1996 BMDO
monthly assessment report.
Former CIA Director Fires Back At Critic Of Missile Threat Assessment.
Inside Missile Defense. John Liang, Feb 26, 1997, p 3-5
In a letter leaked to the Washington TIMES, Rep Weldon (R-PA) sharply
criticized the work of the panel headed by former CIA director Robert Gates
that concluded the Clinton administration's national intelligence estimate
(NIE 95-19) on the ballistic missile threat to the US was not tainted by
politics. This article includes a reprint of the letter of response by
Gates to Weldon.
National Missile Defense RFP Out Despite Army, Congressional Concerns.
Inside Missile Defense. Daniel Dupont, Feb 26, 1997, p 2-3
Despite the Army's concern that its traditional role as national missile
defense lead was being usurped, first by a joint NMD project office, and
then by the lead system integrator (LSI) concept, BMDO earlier this month
released a long-overdue RFP for a NMD integrator competition.
Timely US Action Could Avert Future Armageddon.
National Defense. Sandra I. Meadows, Mar 01, 1997, p 32-33
This article recounts an interview with retired Air Force officer Robert
Chandler about his recently published study, "Tomorrow's War, Today's
Decisions-Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Implications of
WMD-Armed Adversaries for Future US Military Strategy." The study states
that the Pentagon's lack of a long-term plan to tackle the threat of mass
destruction from nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons could, one day,
result in the decimation of thousands of US troops.
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