Missile Defense Failure Has Its Costs

On the radar: Fail as you buy; 3 + 2 = $60 billion; Burns on Iran; UPF out of control; Tritium factory; and Godspeed, Capt. Wilkinson.

July 18, 2013 | Edited by Benjamin Loehrke

Missile defense - Last month’s test failure of the Ground-based Midcourse (GMD) missile defense system occurred when the kill vehicle did not separate from its booster rocket, according to Pentagon officials. That test was the latest in a string of intercept test failures since 2008.

--Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee yesterday, Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Adm. James Syring explained the GMD system’s recent record and noted that his agency is “budgeted properly” for testing and modernization of the system in 2014.

--In the hearing, “Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) lobbed some harsh criticisms against the overall missile defense program, complaining that even after spending $150 billion over 30 years on missile defense, the US government hasn’t been able to conduct a successful test in five years,” writes Paul McLeary for Defense News. http://bit.ly/1dHeYPu

Test and spend - “The Pentagon's latest budget request proposed two flight tests in fiscal 2014, each at an estimated cost of around $214 million. [Vice Adm.] Syring declined to rule out the need for additional funding as a result of the failed intercept test. He said the next test of the CE-II interceptor was planned for March, and officials were deciding whether to re-test the CE-I interceptor involved in the recent test failure first,” reports Andrea Shalal-Esa for Reuters. http://reut.rs/18q9881

Please define “work” - “I’d like to see us get to a testing pattern that is more frequent than it has been in recent years, both as a matter of good acquisition and maintenance practice and as a demonstration that [the ground-based missile defense] systems work,” said James Miller, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Elaine Grossman at Global Security Newswire has the quote. http://bit.ly/1aTTjaD

Warhead plans - The National Nuclear Security Administration’s plan to upgrade every warhead in the U.S. nuclear stockpile is slated to cost $60 billion over the next 25 years, as the agency attempts to design three new interoperable warheads to be deployed on subs and ICBMs. NNSA describes the plan as a cost savings project, but, as Eryn MacDonald of the Union of Concerned Scientists notes, it’s unclear if the so-called “3+2” strategy can find enough savings from reduced maintenance costs to offset the near inevitability of NNSA’s cost overruns.

--”Congress should continue pressing the NNSA to clearly explain why a more conservative approach to maintaining the stockpile is not preferable,” writes MacDonald. Full analysis of how “3 + 2 = $60,000,000,000” at All Things Nuclear. http://bit.ly/15P5DV3

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The U.S., Israel and Iran - “In both Jerusalem and Washington, this is a time for strength, but also steady nerves and patience on Iran. Israel and the United States share a common threat from Tehran. But we don’t share an interest in an early and precipitate war. It is far better for Netanyahu and Obama to stand united in what they say and what they do,” writes Nicholas Burns in an article on “Coping with Netanyahu on Iran.”

--”The possibility, however distant, of a negotiated agreement with Iran is still far preferable to a rash war with unpredictable consequences for the United States, Israel, the Iranian people, and the roiling Middle East.” Full article in The Boston Globe. http://b.globe.com/12XIvPT

Sanctions strategy - “Sanctions are indeed hurting Iran and putting pressure on the leadership. But the United States should not repeat past mistakes by vesting too much confidence in its ability to force capitulation by pouring it on with overly aggressive efforts. Instead of sanctioning impetuously to force the issue, the United States should take its time and show Iran that it is prepared to be more flexible when it comes to relief,” writes Mark Jansson in Roll Call. http://bit.ly/15pnAr8

UPF - The cost of the new Uranium Processing Facility in Tennessee began at $1.1 billion, is currently $6.5 billion and appears destined to breach $10 billion. All while the schedule for initial operates has slipped from 2020 to 2025. The Knoxville News Sentinel lists the problems with the project and writes that “NNSA must take control” of the UPF project. http://bit.ly/111WM0k

Tweet - @insidedefense: Air Force, Boeing Moving Into Next Stage Of B61 Wind Tunnel Tests In August. Story [wedged behind paywall]. http://t.co/c6R2RIUnuG

Tritium production - “The Nuke Factory in Your Backyard: How the U.S. quietly turned a civilian atomic power site into a so-called bomb facility — and what it means for the global arms race,” by Cory Hutchins in War is Boring. http://bit.ly/15ptMiM

Ending nuclear testing - “By leading through example [and ratifying the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty], President Obama and the Senate would be demonstrating political strength while opening the door for the other remaining states to ratify. In the end, ratification of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty would demonstrate the United States' commitment to global leadership and strategic foresight. Ultimately, ratification would bolster US national security and make its citizens safer,” write Hans Blix, Des Browne, Sir Jeremy Greenstock and James Kearney in The Huffington Post. http://huff.to/18pYJcF

Godspeed - Vice Adm. Eugene Wilkinson, commander of the Nautilus (the first nuclear-powered submarine), died on Thursday at the age of 94. Story from The New York Times. http://nyti.ms/12yLLkX

Events:

--”Contemporary Role of US Nuclear Weapons” Luncheon talk with Barry Blechman and Robert Butterworth, part of the Peter Huessy Breakfast Series. July 25th from 12:30-1:30pm at the Capitol Hill Club. RSVP here. http://conta.cc/149kH0N

--“European Perspectives on Nuclear Burden-Sharing,” breakfast discussion with Oliver Meier and Francois Rivasseau, July 26 from 8-9:00am; at the Capitol Hill Club; Part of the BASIC Strategic Dialogue series. RSVP and Details here. http://bit.ly/12DF2cH