|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
 |
    |
|
|
|||
 |
|
||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
U.S. Auditors Review Boost-Phase Defense Effort
The U.S. Congressional Budget Office is examining the potential effectiveness of the Missile Defense Agency’s planned boost-phase missile interceptor, which would be used as part of a national missile defense system, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report reported today (see GSN, May 26). The office is set to complete within two months its review of the ground-, sea- and space-based Kinetic Energy Interceptor program, according to the newsletter. The review was requested by Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), who noted in his July 2003 review request that a study conducted by the American Physical Society determined that a system of space-based, boost-phase interceptors would be too costly to be effective (see GSN, July 15, 2003). That study also found that sea- and air-based interceptors would probably not work against solid-propellant ICBMs like those expected to be eventually obtained by Iran and North Korea. Reed also asked the Congressional Budget Office to compare the Kinetic Energy Interceptor effort with the older Airborne Laser program, also a boost-phase missile defense system, to determine how each effort would affect the overall effectiveness of a national missile defense system (Marc Selinger, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, June 3).
| ||||||||||
Back to top
