HASC subcommittee chairman checks out ABL, space stuff

From: Allen Thomson (thomsona_at_flash.net)
Date: 07/30/04 

Date: 30 Jul 2004 14:30:14 -0700

COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
STRATEGIC FORCES
TERRY EVERETT, ALABAMA
CHAIRMAN
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: July 30, 2004

STRATEGIC FORCES CHAIRMAN REVIEWS KEY MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAMS
AIRBORNE LASER at Edwards AFB
GROUND-BASED MISSILE DEFENSE INTERCEPTORS at Vandenberg AFB

WASHINGTON - Congressman Terry Everett, Chairman of the House
Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces warned Friday
that continued cost overruns associated with the military's
Airborne Laser (ABL) Program may place the program in jeopardy.
Everett returned Thursday from a personal inspection of two key
missile defense programs including the ABL. Funding for both
programs are pending the House/Senate conference of the FY05
Defense Authorization Act.

"I now have a better appreciation for the complexities of the
ABL system, and what it is these people are trying to
accomplish," Everett said upon returning from his trip.
"However, I'm deeply concerned that program costs may spiral to
unanticipated levels which will place ABL in serious danger of
survival."

Everett inspected the Airborne Laser (ABL) Program at Edwards AFB,
CA, where the contractor team headed by Boeing is assembling the
chemical laser system into a highly-modified 747 aircraft to
prove the technology. The ABL is a critical component of the
layered missile defense system, designed to defeat a ballistic
missile attack in the boost phase of the launch. Everett came
away impressed with the challenging science and engineering tasks
that must be accomplished to perform the mission, and the
complexities of the laser itself. However, he remains concerned
about the increasing costs and program delays, and will continue
to closely monitor the management of the program by the Air Force
and Boeing.

The Ground-based Missile Defense (GMD) system is nearing initial
operating capability later this year. Everett toured the GMD silo
sites at Vandenberg AFB, CA, one of two sites which will be
deployed to defeat incoming ballistic missiles in the mid-course
phase of flight. The AF chose Vandenberg AFB for its location on
the Pacific Ocean and to utilize old MX missile silos which are
being refurbished to serve as a critical part of the GMD
infrastructure. Everett noted that Ronald Reagan's vision for
a strategic missile defense to protect the United States from a
ballistic missile attack will finally become a reality later
this year.

I'm very pleased that President Bush and this Congress have
carried Reagan's vision to reality."

On the Space front, satellite programs, including Space Based
Radar (SBR), SIBRS-High and STSS, as well as launch capabilities
for these satellites are also of keen interest to Everett. At
Vandenberg AFB, a Delta IV rocket was viewed in a near-launch
state, preparing for a special payload launch in early 2005.
The Delta IV rocket is manufactured by Boeing in Decatur, AL,
and shipped via barge to the West Coast.

Congress has been divided on the need for the Spaced Based
Radar program, with the interested congressional defense and
intelligence committees differing in their views of the future
capabilities of the system. Everett met with AF program
officials and the contractor, Northrop Grumman, to receive the
latest programmatic information on the system. Everett
believes the truly unique capabilities that SBR will provide
for the warfighter are necessary, but cautioned the program
officials that Congress will not tolerate new satellite
programs that continue to exceed cost estimates, with constant
schedule slippages.

"Spaced Base Radar will provide a truly transformational
capability to our warfighters, and we must incorporate lessons
learned so we don't repeat the same acquisition mistakes that we
experienced in SBRS-high and Future Imagery Architecture programs,
that have led to billions of dollars in cost overruns," Everett
added.

During Everett's trip, he also was briefed by the 14th Air Force
Command at Vandenberg AFB, which has responsibility for the AF
Space Forces, and the Air Force Doctrine Center at Air University,
Maxwell AFB. This followed the subcommittee's hearing last week
on the importance of developing the AF "Space Cadre" of
professionals to better understand and execute program management,
training, and doctrine for space dominance.

Everett also toured a small company in Los Angeles that has set
out to develop inexpensive commercial launch alternatives, and if
successful, stands to revolutionize the space launch industry.
This company, SpaceEx, plans to make its first launch by the end
of the year.