Rapid acceleration and high speed of Northrop Grumman’s Kinetic Energy Interceptor allow it to protect wide areas. Credit: NORTHROP GRUMMAN CONCEPTFrom Yahoo News/Reuters:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. missile-defense contractors and their allies are pushing to salvage what they can of prized, multibillion-dollar programs that Defense Secretary Robert Gates is seeking to scrap or cut back.
Amid mounting concern over nuclear and missile programs in North Korea and Iran, Northrop Grumman Corp, for instance, is calling on the Defense Department to rescind a stop work order and carry out a major flight test of its Kinetic Energy Interceptor.
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My Comment: A program that is already 90% there for a test ... and it is cut. This does not make sense to me.
They promoters for this project are obviously upset with this decision, and are confident that the planned test for September of this year would have validated their claims. They are trying to get support, but I doubt that the Pentagon or Congress will comply .... what monies are available must be spent elsewhere.