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| General Touts U.S. Missile Defense Plan |
| 2004-04-27 |
| "Attention, Kimmie" EFL - caught via Drudge The chief of the military’s missile defense programs said Tuesday he expects to be able to protect all of the United States from a North Korean attack by the end of 2004, but said failures in two upcoming tests could mean "big problems" for the controversial program. Air Force Lt. Gen. Ron Kadish, director of the Missile Defense Agency, told reporters that a decision when to put the first missile interceptors on alert has not been made, but that plans call for several to be ready to fire by September. By the end of the year, close to 10 interceptors are expected to be on alert at two sites: Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. They will be linked to a specialized radar able to track inbound missiles over the Pacific Ocean. But the interceptors face two upcoming tests of their ability to find and destroy incoming ballistic missiles, the first expected in late spring or early summer. "If they both fail, we’ve got big problems," Kadish said. "We expect them to be successful." He stopped short of saying two failures would delay deployment of the first interceptor missiles in Alaska. Officials note those first interceptors will serve a dual role: as subjects of further testing, as well as actual defenses in an emergency. The Bush administration has made the deployment of missile defenses a key aspect of its national security policy, saying it is vital to defend the nation against missiles launched by hostile nations |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #1 I hope the Gipper has a few lucid moments now and then, so he can see his dream starting to come true. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2004-04-27 4:59:16 PM |