Bush Team’s First Test of Defense Missile Set
The Defense Department said it would try to intercept a long-range ballistic missile July 14, the first systemwide test by the Bush administration of a controversial multibillion-dollar missile defense plan.
The “integrated system” test is often equated by the military to hitting a bullet with a bullet. The last two of the three tests to date have failed, most recently July 7, 2000.
Those misses led former President Clinton on Sept. 1 to defer the politically charged decision on when to take the first steps toward going beyond testing to start deploying a missile defense.
Russia, China and many U.S. allies strongly oppose U.S. plans to field such a shield for fear it would trigger an arms race.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
