Taiwan:  U.S. Officials Urge Taipei to Buy Antimissile System

Following a massive buildup of Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan, U.S. officials are urging Taipei to purchase the new Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile, the Wall Street Journal reported today (see GSN, March 25).

China has begun stockpiling up to 75 missiles per year across the Taiwan Strait, and Pentagon officials claim that a total of 600 will be pointed at the island by 2005, according to the Journal.

“We believe it is imperative that Taiwan … acquire an integrated air and missile defense capability,” Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Richard Lawless said during a U.S.-Taiwan defense industry conference earlier this year, noting that Taiwan’s “first task is to address (China’s) accelerated conventional missile buildup,” the Journal reported.

However, the advanced antimissile system has several hurdles to overcome, including a price tag of $2.7 million each, as well as a still-to-be-determined performance record during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  While the PAC-3 was credited for shooting down two enemy missiles over Iraq, it may have also been involved in the downing of two coalition aircraft (Wall Street Journal, May 9).

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U.S. Plans:  House Subcommittee Authorizes Fiscal 2004 Missile Defenses

The U.S. House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces yesterday approved the fiscal 2004 defense authorization bill, approving the entire Bush administration request for ballistic missile defense but redirecting some funds to bolster theater missile defense systems, according to Aerospace Daily.

The subcommittee fully authorized the $9.1 billion administration request, according to Aerospace Daily.  It also transferred more than $280 million from “longer term payoff” programs, such as boost-phase missile defense systems, to “more near-term requirements, particularly in the area of theater missile defense,” according to subcommittee Chairman Terry Everett (R-Ala.).

The bill would add funds for Patriot missile interceptors, including $90 million to purchase 30 more Patriot Advanced Capability 3 interceptors than the 108 the White House had requested (see GSN, April 24).  The bill would also add almost $80 million for PAC-3 research and development, $10 million for PAC-2 research and $36 million to upgrade Patriot radar and communication systems.

The subcommittee approved an additional $37 million to accelerate the testing of the Theater High Altitude Area Defense system and fully funded the $626 million request for the Airborne Laser program, according to Aerospace Daily (see GSN, April 25).  In addition, the bill contains more than $20 million in additional funding to enhance the sea-based X-band radar the Missile Defense Agency is developing for use in a planned test bed to be deployed in the Pacific Ocean (see GSN, March 11). 

To cover the increases, the subcommittee cut funding to several programs, including a $150 million reduction to the administration’s $301 million request to fund the development of ground-, sea- and space-based boost-phase missile interceptors, Aerospace Daily reported (Marc Selinger, Aerospace Daily, May 8).

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United States:  Patriot Batteries Lacked Data Recording Systems, Officials Say

Some of the Patriot missile interceptor batteries used in the recent war with Iraq lacked data recorders needed to track their performance, while the recorders in other batteries were damaged, resulting in lost information, U.S. Army officers said this week (see GSN, April 24).

The Patriot systems were redesigned in 1995 to include optical disks and “embedded data recorders” to preserve tactical information, according to a fact sheet prepared by Raytheon, which produces the Patriot.  However, only some of the Patriot systems sent to the Middle East were equipped with the data recording systems, and of those, some were damaged due to wear, according to Army officials.

It is unknown what effect the lost data will have on the Army’s review of the Patriot’s performance during the Iraq war, according to the Boston Globe, but the review will continue, a senior U.S. commander said.  In some instances, hard-copy records will be used, said military officials, adding that such a system was out of date.

The hard copies, which include tape drives and printouts, amount to “an antiquated portion of our system,” said Maj. Gen. Stanley Green, commander of the Army’s Air Defense Artillery Center at Fort Bliss, Texas (Ross Kerber, Boston Globe, May 8).

Radars Could Have Played Role in Friendly Fire Incidents

Meanwhile, military investigators are examining whether tracking radars generated false signals that confused Patriot operators, leading to friendly fire incidents, according to officials. 

In two incidents during the recent war with Iraq, Patriot operators thought they were engaging enemy missiles, not aircraft, the officials said.  Some Army and industry experts believe that electromagnetic interference could have played a role in the confusion, according to the Washington Post.  Such interference could have resulted from the close proximity of multiple Patriot radars, along with other battlefield electronic systems, they said.

“This is the densest battlefield we’ve seen,” said Army Brig. Gen. Howard Bromberg, who headed U.S. air defenses during the war.  “I believe there could be something there.  That’s my personal belief,” he said (Bradley Graham, Washington Post, May 8).

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Israel:  Former Defense Ministry Official Warns of Continued Missile Threats

Despite the victory of U.S.-led forces in Iraq, Israel still faces ballistic missile threats from other Middle Eastern countries and it needs to expand its missile defenses, Uzi Rubin, a former Israeli Defense Ministry official, said last week (see GSN, April 15).

Rubin highlighted the growing missile threats posed by several countries, particularly Iran.

“Iran has passed the point of no return,” Rubin said during a breakfast sponsored by the National Defense University Foundation.  “Their missiles will be developed and deployed.  Even a change in regime will not stop them,” he said.

These continued threats make it important for Israel to maintain and improve its missile defense capabilities, according to Rubin.  He praised the performance of the Israeli-built Arrow missile interceptor and the U.S.-built Patriot 2 missile interceptor during the recent war with Iraq.  More Arrow and Patriot batteries, however, are needed, Rubin said.

“We need to look at our assets … we need more battery assets,” Rubin said (Kerry Gildea, Defense Daily, May 2).

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