Maine considered for missile defense site

Bangor Daily News ^ | DAVID ENRICH

[SheLion]

WASHINGTON - Maine could be home to an array of missile interceptors several years from now as part of an extensive national missile defense system, according to Pentagon officials, military analysts and published reports.

The Bush administration announced this week that it would deploy a limited land- and sea-based missile defense system designed to knock down missiles that are heading for America or its allies.

Under that plan, scheduled for completion in 2004 or 2005, missile interceptors would be stationed at military bases in Alaska and California, as well as on Navy warships.

But the Pentagon also is planning to set up another interceptor site somewhere in Maine to confront possible threats from Europe and the Middle East, The Washington Times reported Thursday.

Officials at the Missile Defense Agency say they currently are focused on implementing the limited missile defense system and have no immediate plans for interceptor sites outside Alaska and California.

"There's nothing planned after 2005. We're only concerned with the next two years," said agency spokesman Lt. Col. Rick Lehner. "That's not in the cards right now, but anything's possible."

Pentagon officials and military analysts say an interceptor site in Maine could become more important over the next few years if a new missile threat emerges in Europe or, more likely, the Middle East.

The sea-based Aegis system only defends against short- and medium-range missiles. And some analysts say the ground-based interceptors planned for Fort Greely in Alaska and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California might be unable to kill an intercontinental ballistic missile that is streaking toward the eastern United States.

"Alaska would be pretty hard-pressed" to hit an incoming missile from the Middle East, said Baker Spring, a missile defense expert at the Heritage Foundation. The Vandenberg site simply "wouldn't work" for intercepting a Middle Eastern missile.

"It's logical that they'd want a distributed ground-based system in Maine," Spring said.

Lehner disputed Spring's assertion that the California and Alaska sites could not knock down a missile from the Mideast, but he acknowledged that "if you're having war in the Middle East, it may be advantageous" to have an interceptor site in Maine.

Because of its high latitude, a site in Maine would be well positioned to hit a missile crossing the Atlantic, said Baker. He added that because of Maine's sparse population missile testing would be less disruptive there than in denser populated states.

In addition to its geography, Maine's existing military infrastructure also makes it an attractive location for missile interceptors.

During the Cold War, the Air Force's Backscatter system, which used to track incoming Soviet missiles or planes, was based in Maine. The Backscatter was taken off-line in 1997, but its computer and radar systems in Maine - located in Bangor, Moscow and Columbia Falls - could be revived within a year.

The former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, on the New Brunswick border, is another potential site in Maine for missile interceptors. The base, shuttered since 1994, was home to a fleet of B-52 bombers as well as a facility for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD.

Aides to U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins say the possibility of an interceptor site in Maine is too far in the future to be a major cause of concern.

Still, some Mainers are unenthusiastic about the prospect of the military returning to Loring.

Since the base closed, the Limestone area has benefited from an influx of new businesses and the new Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge, comprising several thousand acres of forest on the eastern edge of the old base.

Brian Hamel, the president and chief executive of the Loring Development Authority, which now owns the land, said the base was purchased in a deal that does not permit the federal government to buy it back.

"We're right smack in the middle of a pretty successful development project, and we wouldn't want to do anything to hamper that," Hamel said. He noted, though, that the government probably could seize the property in the interest of national security.

Ilze Petersons of the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, based in Bangor, called the possible plan a waste of money that would be better spent on education and health care.

The Bush administration says that emerging missile threats from countries such as Iran, Libya, Syria and Iraq mean that a more comprehensive missile defense system must eventually be deployed.

But Rep. Tom Allen, a Portland Democrat who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, said foreseeable threats do not justify a missile defense system based in the Northeast. Iran poses the greatest danger, he said, and its longest-range missiles can travel at most 3,000 miles - leaving them nowhere near American soil.

"Iran is a long way from having a missile that could hit the U.S.," Allen said. "I believe this rush to deploy has more to do with politics and less to do with actually defending the country."

[SheLion]

Living just 4 minutes from the West Gate on a clear day.......nothing would tickle me greater then to have the military come back here again! We have SOME military at the DFAS center, but I mean MORE military.

I heard on the news that the government wants this in place by 2004..........but 2004 is only 13 months away.

Rep. Allen is against this. Of course! He doesn't want to see northern Maine bring in any revenue! Rep. Allen wants all the money to go to the Somali's, since he is the one to bring them INTO to Maine! It's ok for his ideas to fly, but when it's someone else's idea, he is against it. Especially since the Government is REPUBLICAN at this time!

Loring Air Force Base is the closest northern tier to Europe and the middle east. Loring has the longest run-way! I, for one, am totally FOR this!

Flame away!

[SheLion]

Maine Ping!

[dts32041]

My gawd what is baldi going to do, money going inot his old district instead of into little tommy allen's.

Anguish is green with envy and trying to figure out how to take more more of Maine's money back to ole virginy with him.

[SheLion]

Well, Aroostook County needs the money more the THEY do!

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Raytheon lost the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Lead Systems Integrator (LSI) contract to Boeing because Raytheon proposed an X-Band radar in Maine ($50 Megabucks) vs. Boeing saying that they could do the job by upgrading exising UHF Early Warning Radar. An interceptor launched from central Alaska at a missile launched from the Middle East and inbound for Miami, detected by UHF Radar in England (Fylingsdale) over the eastern Atlantic could only "just" get their in time. With a launch from Maine you have a lot more margin.

BTW, Cape Cod (or even better Nantucket) is a more logic site for the Radar and missiles, fat chance of basing them there.

[SheLion]

BTW, Cape Cod (or even better Nantucket) is a more logic site for the Radar and missiles, fat chance of basing them there.

The only thing is: Loring is still here. And the run way is still here. And the radar tower is still here. All the military has to do is move IN!

Base housing is still here. It's just perfect. The government should never have closed it in the first place.

[ArrogantBustard]

The base, shuttered since 1994,

1994... Hmmmmm... I'm trying to remember who was President and CINC that year...

Legacy Alert!!!

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The politcal opposition to a MA based system would be literally overwhelming. They have to spend millions placating the Kumbya Choir just to keep PAVE PAWS going. Besides real estate is cheaper in Maine. And it has the added benefit of rankling the Canadians just a little bit more.

[backhoe]

Cool! I want one for Georgia...

[Reeses]

Rep. Tom Allen, a Portland Democrat who sits on the House Armed Services Committee

Someone should show this Democrat the county by county map of where Gore voters live: in the big cities, which is also where nuclear missles are targeted as well as where the terrorists will be taking their suitcase bombs. I read that most Americans are concentrated in only 4% of our land area, and 90% of these city dwellers are Democrats. The Star Wars defense program should really be renamed the Gore Voter Missile Defense System. Any Democrat leader against this program shows how anti-American they truely are.

[mrsmith]

Pure pork fantasy.

Wallops Island is more central to defend the east coast. There's an active military base there supporting Aegis, a missile site, and Warner is Armed Forces Chairman.

Secondary sites in Fla. and Me. later maybe.

[KeyWest]

Need to check the great circle routes from various countries to DC, LA, NYC to see where the best location to intercept is.

[SheLion]

Wallops Island is more central to defend the east coast. There's an active military base there supporting Aegis, a missile site, and Warner is Armed Forces Chairman.

I never heard of Wallops Island.

Loring was home to a fleet of B-52 bombers as well as a facility for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD. As well as fighters an refuelers. My husband retired from the military in 1992 after serving 26 years. I have been a military dependent all of my adult life. Pork Fantasy? Well, if it's "Pork Fantasy" wanting to be by a military base, then I guess your right.

How long have YOU been apart of the military?!

[mrsmith]

Good lord, I've been out 28 years LOL! (Greww up as a Navy brat.)

I was stationed at Key West in the charlie battery Hawk air missile defense on Saddlebunch Key BTW. Found a web site on it- my how it's changed, overgrown and sold to a luxury RV site developer!

By "pork fantasy" I'm referring to Maine's desire to get the money for the the base- which is no better or worse than Virginia's desire for it of course.

Assuming that one doesn't know where the missiles are launched from, a reasonable assumption if one looks decades ahead, a central site is best. Wallop's Island can be researched on the web. Use the info I gave you in my previous post.

[SheLion]

By "pork fantasy" I'm referring to Maine's desire to get the money for the the base- which is no better or worse than Virginia's desire for it of course.

Well, a-hole Rep. Allen doesn't want it, and neither do RINO Snowe and Collins! So they certainly do NOT want Maine to benefit financially from the missile defense system.

Assuming that one doesn't know where the missiles are launched from, a reasonable assumption if one looks decades ahead, a central site is best. Wallop's Island can be researched on the web. Use the info I gave you in my previous post.

A central site is best!!! Well, I disagree. California can take care of the Pacific and Loring can take care of the Atlantic. But since the RINO'S and DemocRATS do not want Aroostook to get ahead, it might not happen.

However, the base is here, the runway is here and there is plenty of room for a missile defense system.

[SheLion]

1994... Hmmmmm... I'm trying to remember who was President and CINC that year... Actually, it was Vice President Cheney who closed this base. He came up here in 1990. He assured us that Loring would not be on the "hit list." By 1992, we found out he lied. We had two years to shut down.

I love Cheney right to death, but this is ONE thing he did that affected US! BIG time!

[SheLion]

Besides real estate is cheaper in Maine How do you figure CHEAPER? The base is already HERE!

[SheLion]

Wallops Island is more central to defend the east coast. There's an active military base there supporting Aegis, a missile site, and Warner is Armed Forces Chairman.

Yes, but Wallops Island wasn't mentioned, was it!

[Momaw Nadon]

BTW, Cape Cod (or even better Nantucket) is a more logical site for the Radar and missiles, fat chance of basing them there.

It would be hilarious if the military decided to locate the missile interceptors right in the middle of P-Town.

[Willie Green]

I realize placing the base in Maine would give a helpful boost to the local economy.
But I can't help wondering where they think the missiles are comeing from.
Iceland? Finland? Norwegia?