November 6, 2007 :: AP :: News
On November 6, U.S. appropriators meeting from the House and Senate made a number of changes to the missile defense budget, for a total reduction of some $185 million dollars. The Air-Borne Laser was cut by $35 million, and the entire plan for studies for a space test bed was completely zeroed-out. The changes also included cutting $85 million requested by President Bush to build a facility to house ten Ground Based Interceptors in Poland, however the money designated for the X-band radar facility in the Czech Republic and the ten interceptors themselves was left intact. The bill still must be approved by both bodies of Congress, and Democrats have indicated they might restore the money should Poland's government agree to house the missiles and if the entire system undergoes extensive testing.
Summary of funding reductions and changes:
- Reduces funding for the European Site program by $85 million.
- Reduces funding for Airborne Laser (ABL) by $35 million.
- Zeroes out the Conceptual Studies of a Space Test Bed (STB).
- Reduces overall Missile Defense budget by $185 million.
- Fully funds Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).
- Provides an additional $80 million for test and training range upgrades and supportand ground-based missile defense enhancements.
- Provides an additional $75 million for the Aegis program for the Ballistic Signal Processor, Standard Missiles, Ship installations and upgrades, and an asymmetric defense initiative.
- Adds $75 million for Arrow co-production, the Upper-tier program, and Short Range Ballistic Missile Defense. (Israeli programs)
- Provides an additional $120 million for the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) program.
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