NEW MISSILE CONTRACT COULD SAVE NAVAL BASE.Byline: Andrea Cavanaugh Staff Writer A $4.5 billion missile defense Missile defence is an air defence system, weapon program, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception and destruction of attacking missiles. Originally conceived as a defence against nuclear-armed ICBMs, its application has broadened to include shorter-ranged contract to be located at Naval Base A naval base primarily for support of the forces afloat, contiguous to a port or anchorage, consisting of activities or facilities for which the Navy has operating responsibilities, together with interior lines of communications and the minimum surrounding area necessary for local Ventura County may help to protect the installation from the next round of base closures, officials said Friday. The eight-year contract, awarded in December to Northrop Grumman Corp. and Raytheon Co. to develop and test the missile interceptors, is expected to create about 200 jobs in the county by 2007. ``It makes (the base) more essential to our national security mission,'' said Tom Pfeifer, a spokesman for Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Thousand Oaks. ``And anything that brings more jobs will help.'' More than 450 military installations have been closed since 1995, and a new round of closures is slated for 2005. The criteria for considering which facilities to shut down is expected to be released later this month. ``Every base in the United States is at risk for closure,'' Pfeifer said. ``Naval Base Ventura County was at risk during the last round. History shows us we need to be on our toes.'' Its developers say the missile defense system Noun 1. missile defense system - naval weaponry providing a defense system missile defence system naval weaponry - weaponry for warships , dubbed Kinetic Energy Interceptors, will allow the military to destroy hostile missiles as they ascend from their country of origin. But critics charge the plan is too expensive and relies on untested technology. ``I think it's a $4.5 billion waste of resources,'' said David Krieger, president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a non-profit international organization on the roster in consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The organization is founded for and noted for its opposition to nuclear arms. in Santa Barbara. ``It's like rolling the dice on a technology that most experts believe will never work.'' Military officials plan to test the program in 2009 by firing KEI missiles from San Nicolas Island San Nicolas Island (sometimes shortened as San Nic or SNI) is the most remote of California's Channel Islands. It is part of Ventura County. The 14,562 acre (58.93 km² or 22. at targets launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 3,456 acres (1,399 hectares), SW Calif., near Lompoc; chief Pacific coast launch site for military satellites. , Northrop Grumman spokeswoman Marynoele Benson said. Andrea Cavanaugh, (805) 583-7604 andrea.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com |
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