Missile Defense System Not Worth the Price

Re “Crucial Radar Failed Missile Defense Test,” July 18: So, the recent test of the missile defense system, while “[meeting] all of its test objectives,” actually didn’t go quite so perfectly, according to Raytheon spokesman Mark Day. “We learned that there were some minor problems.” It turns out that Raytheon’s own radar system failed to confirm the kill assessment, prompting former Pentagon chief for testing and evaluation, Philip E. Coyle, to comment, “It’s going to take a long time to sort through all this stuff.”

The Russians (and the Chinese, Iraqis and North Koreans) must be quietly rubbing their hands with glee. The U.S. is about to spend somewhere between $500 billion and $1 trillion on a system that they can defeat for roughly one-tenth or one-twentieth of that amount. And in about 10 years the U.S. will be in the same economic hole they’re in, and we won’t even have the ability to protect ourselves to show for it.

William D. Wolff

Los Angeles