Boeing Difficulties Cause Scale Back of Missile System Test

 

Pentagon scales down plans for missile defense test this week due to glitch

The Associated Press

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

WASHINGTON: A technical glitch has prompted the Pentagon’s missile defense unit to scale back plans for a Friday test of a system designed to shoot down missiles heading for the U.S. mainland.

Lt. Gen. Henry A. Obering III, head of the Missile Defense Agency, said Tuesday that there were problems with telemetry cards that record data during tests of the ground-based defense missile system. Chicago-based Boeing Co. is the lead contractor on the project.

The problems, which arose from soldering of the cards, means the test will be only a simulation of an interceptor missile striking an incoming missile. The Missile Defense Agency had planned to also use a real interceptor missile to try to shoot it down.

Obering said a similar test planned for December is expected to go ahead with a real interceptor. He would not give specifics on whether Boeing or other contractors on the project would be penalized because of the glitch. A Boeing spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Pentagon is building a network of sea and land-based missiles in the United States, Europe and Japan in response to longer-range missiles being developed by nations such as Iran and North Korea. Iran, which tested missiles last week, is believed to have some with a range of 1,250 miles (2,012 kilometers), which could reach large sections of Europe. Obering said Iran may also have an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the United States by 2015.

There are now 21 ground-based interceptor missiles in Alaska and three in California. The military is currently testing them against more complicated missiles such as those where the warhead separates from the missile body in flight.

Link to original:  http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=14523472

KBR, Electrocution of Soldiers and More

 

 

I just received some comments on an article I posted on this blog about KBR and their business practices, which are endangering soldiers, in particular sloppy electrical work leading to the electrocution of soldiers while using water to bathe or complete duties as assigned, such as washing down military vehicles. 

 

Debbie Crawford was in Iraq and knows something of what she is talking about.  I recommend everyone read her materials on this subject at her website: www.mssparky.com

 

She has posted videos of testimony, and other interesting and perhaps helpful information.  Leave her comments if her site is helpful to you.

 

I have heard a lot of complaints over the past year from whistleblowers who are totally fed up with getting little help in seeing their efforts to stop corruption and wrongdoing.  In fact, many find that everyone in oversight and in the legal system, look over their complaints, express interest, and then later, back away. 

 

It seems perhaps that these law firms either do not think that stopping that example of  industry/government gone bad is not lucrative enough to be worth their trouble, or perhaps they are being intimidated from representing these whistleblowers by someone very high in our government. 

 

I would appreciate any thoughts and comments from any of you who have information to share on this theory. 

 

-GFS