Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
The US Department of Defense has selected a booster originally developed for civil use as the launcher for the proposed National Missile Defense (NMD) ground-based interceptor, in preference to refurbished surplus Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The launcher will be assembled by Boeing in association with Alliant Techsystems and United Technologies Chemical Systems.
Boeing will assemble five of the two-stage boosters for flight tests, plus additional units for ground test during the initial phase of work. The first stage is an Alliant-built GEM-VN, now used on the Delta 2, while the second is a Cordant Technologies Orbus 1, used by Orbital Sciences.
The Pentagon says that it is cheaper to use civil boosters, since Minuteman rockets would require significant refurbishing.
The Pentagon picked Boeing in May as NMD lead system integrator, but deferred for several months selection of the rocket to which a single exoatmospheric kill vehicle will be attached.
Under the current plan, Boeing is developing the system - designed to defend the USA against a ballistic missile attack - over the next three years, leading to a deployment decision in the year 2000.
If the go-ahead is given, the NMD would be deployed three years later. The deal will earn Boeing an initial $2 billion, but the contract value could exceed $10 billion if the hit-to-kill weapon becomes operational.
The programme has been given emphasis by a recently released report ordered by the US Congress, concluding that several rogue nations could strike the USA with "little or no warning", and that the US intelligence community's ability to provide warning of ballistic missile threats is decreasing.
Its authors recommend a full review of US intelligence-gathering capabilities and policies on the ballistic missile threat.
Source: Flight International