SPACE DEFENSE CHEAPER IN EUROPE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000302330047-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 10, 2012
• Sequence Number: 47
• Publication Date: September 5, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/10: CIA-RDP90-00965R000302330047-3
ARTICLE APPEARED
ON PAGE A .~.,?~
WASHINGTON TIMES
5 September 1985
Space defense cheaper in Europe
By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
A global space defense against
nuclear attack could be established
in Europe at a fraction of the cost of
similar proposals and with greater
accuracy, says Klaus Heiss, an aero-
space scientist and economist.
In a forthcoming research paper,
Mr. Heiss asserts that a defense
against intermediate-range nuclear
missiles in Europe - using a combi-
nation of laser guns and missile
interceptors - would provide a
practical first step in a larger global
strategic defense program.
Mr. Heiss was instrumental in
developing the U.S. space shuttle
during the 1970s and succeeded in
'raising $1 billion from private
sources for an additional
commercial-use space shuttle. His
proposal was rejected by the
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
Mr. Heiss states that President
Reagan's Strategic Defense Initia-
tive, popularly known as "star wars:'
could be adapted for initial use in
Europe at a cost of about $5 billion
to $6 billion over the next five years.
The Reagan administration plans to
invest $26 billion in the U.S. "star
wars" program.
A part of his proposed European
"star wars" system could be
deployed by using the space shuttle
at a relatively low altitude of about
200 miles, he states. By contrast, ele-
ments of a global SDI system must
be deployed in orbit 20,000 miles
above the earth.
Manfred Hamm, a European
defense expert with the Heritage
Foundation, said the idea of a Euro-
"star wars" initiative would be a
more practical initial phase than a
global SDI program.
"The technology is much closer to
completion (for theater strategic
defense):' Mr. Hamm said in a tele-
phone interview. "Moreover, the
technology is more feasible for the
mission:'
The term European Defense
Inititative (EDI) was coined by for-
mer West German Defense Minister
Kai-Uwe von Hassel during a speech
last June in the Netherlands.
Mr. Hamm said he believes Mr.
von Hassel's views on EDI reflect
official West German defense minis-
try attitudes toward the strategic
defense program.
The State Department said last
week that the ongoing espionage
scandal in West Germany would not
t o cancellation of scheduled
global s ace defense talks in Wash-
ington this weet between ester-
man man officials and private industry
&aresentatives and US. defense
0
"We are engaged in close and con-
tinuing discussions with a number
of allied governments regarding
their potential participation in SDI
research program:' State Depart-
ment spokesman Charles Redman
said.
Since the beginning of 1985, the
strategic balance in Europe has
favored the Soviet Union and War-
saw Pact by a 2-1 margin, Mr. Heiss
states in his paper. He estimates that
the Soviets have deployed 1,700
intermediate range missiles with a
total of 2,200 warheads vs. 435 land-
based NATO missiles and warheads.
If United States, British and
French sea-based forces are
included in NATO's intermediate-
range nuclear force, the balance
remains "better than 2-to-i advan-
tage of Soviet forces:' Mr. Heiss
writes.
He envisions several overlapping
strategic defense concepts that
would be included in EDI.
He says one defensive "layer"
involves missiles and sensors based
on the ground that would knock
holes in Soviet missiles before they
.leave the atmosphere.
Other components include space-
based laser and atom-particle beam
guns capable of knocking holes or
disrupting warhead electronics as
weapons enter space on trajectory
paths toward Europe.
Still another system would pro-
vide "terminal defense" with a com-
bination of conventional and nuclear
arms against warheads as they enter
the atmosphere on their way to tar-
gets.
Because of the smaller area of
theater nuclear warfare, Mr. Heiss
believes the effectiveness of
directed-energy weapons - lasers
and other types of arms - would be
vastly improved.
"If directed energy weapons
defense is possible in SDI global
ranges, EDI capabilities are possi-
ble with 100 times that assurance:'
Mr. Heiss states.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/10: CIA-RDP90-00965R000302330047-3