Transparency to at the very least NATO allies about the 'real capacity' of any missile defense shield is necessary.
Officials investigating cause of missile failure (click title to entry - thank you)
By The Garden Island
LIHU‘E — Officials continue to investigate why a target missile went awry at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility Friday, causing the cancellation of a planned missile-defense test, according to a press release.A planned test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system scheduled to be conducted from PMRF, at Barking Sands, near Kekaha, was not able to be completed Friday due to an anomaly with the target missile.
The target missile was successfully deployed from a C-17 transport aircraft but the target’s rocket motor did not ignite, the release states.
The THAAD interceptor missile was not launched, though the system’s fire-control system conducted a number of successful simulations, according to the release.
The THAAD system components were verified to be in working order, and the system was ready to conduct the mission.
Program officials are conducting an extensive investigation to determine the cause of the anomaly.
AND it is a bit ludicrous to even believe a private military contractor isn't making this technology available to other nations. It is also a bit outrageous for Taiwan to be asking for it because that puts the technology at the disposal of China.
So, given these dynamics, it would seem as though Russia simply has to offer Raytheon a contract at this point. If Taiwan begins this mess, it is a threat to mainland China and will open all sorts of Pandora boxes.
This is exactly the reason why Nuclear Non-Proliferation has to be effective on a global basis. If there isn't comprehensive agreement and cooperation, it mostly likely won't work and will be a ludicrous act of political grandstanding without delivering a quality and enforceable treaty.
Raytheon gets $1.1b Taiwan contract (click here)
Bloomberg News / December 24, 2009 Raytheon Co., the world’s largest missile maker, has won contracts totaling $1.1 billion to produce the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System for Taiwan.
The awards include an initial contract for ground-system hardware valued at $965.6 million and an initial order for spare parts valued at $134.4 million, Waltham-based Raytheon said yesterday.
The US Defense Department in October 2008 proposed making $6.46 billion worth of weapons sales to Taiwan, including the most advanced Patriot antimissile system. Taiwan received $18.3 billion in US arms under the Foreign Military Sales program from 1950 to 2006.
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