In the largest, most complex test ever attempted, U.S. military shot down a simulated long-range ballistic missile this past Friday. The target missile was launched from Kodiak Island, Alaska, at 3:04 p.m. Eastern time, tracked simultaneously by several ground and ship-based radars, and intercepted by a “kill vehicle” 3,000 kilometers away over the Pacific 25 minutes later. Friday’s test 13th ground-based interceptor test since 1999, and the 8th successful one. Overall, there have been 36 intercepts in 46 tries across all elements of the evolving shield. The fate of missile …
The Senate today is slated to consider the 2009 Defense Authorization bill, S-3001, a $612.5 billion measure that would authorize spending for national security programs in the Defense and Energy departments. The legislation authorizes the Pentagon to spend $70 billion to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan during the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 and would authorize a 3.9 percent pay raise for military personnel, in addition to funding other programs. One of the proposed 250 amendments to the bill, authored by Senator Joseph Lieberman, is likely to be …
