India:  Congressman Pushes to Allow Arrow Transfer

U.S. Representative Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), who has founded a House group on Indian relations, last month urged U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to support Indian efforts to import the Arrow missile defense system (see GSN, July 23).

The United States should allow the transfer because the system is not designed for offensive purposes, Pallone said in a July 23 letter.

“The Arrow weapon system was created to defend against short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles,” he said.  “Therefore, India’s interest in the Arrow weapon system is to improve missile defense, not offense, which is a key factor regarding this sale that needs to be considered.”

India has sought to purchase the system from Israel, which developed it jointly with the United States (Frank Pallone release, July 23).

For further information, see:

MDA Terminal Defense Segment

Federation of American Scientists Background on Arrow

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U.S. Plans:  Laser Aircraft to Continue Tests

Program technicians for the Airborne Laser — a component of the developing U.S. missile defense system — plan to continue test-flying the modified Boeing 747 designed to house the laser, program officials said Wednesday (see GSN, July 19).

The aircraft, which will be equipped with the laser later, has successfully completed four test flights since July 18, according to Defense Daily.  Developers have been conducting the flights to evaluate the airplane’s performance and other checks to evaluate the functionality of its systems.

The airplane flew to Boeing facilities Friday to be painted, a program official said, and it is scheduled to fly to Edwards Air Force Base in California for ground tests once painting is finished.  Technicians at the base plan to install the airplane’s tracking systems and the laser system, according to Defense Daily.

Officials expect future flights for the 747 to test how its systems detect and track missile launches, Defense Daily reported.  Developers will not test-fire the laser to shoot down a target until at least the end of 2004, according to Defense Daily.

The Defense Department is also examining other possible options — including different platforms — for laser systems in the future, said Air Force Col. Ellen Pawlikowski, Airborne Laser program director at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.  For example, aircraft such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter might be used to carry laser systems, she said (Kerry Gildea, Defense Daily, Aug. 8).

For further information, see:

MDA Basics of Missile Defense

MDA Missile Defense System

MDA Boost Defense Segment

Airborne Laser Fact Sheet

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