John Spratt: “this bill increases missile defense by $2.6 billion to $2.7 billion, 50 percent over last year's level, but it ends a…”

“this bill increases missile defense by $2.6 billion to $2.7 billion, 50 percent over last year's level, but it ends a system that everyone has long thought essential to missile defense, and that is a program called ``SBIRS-Low,'' for Space-Based Infrared Sensors. Ever since the beginning of SDI, space-based sensors have been a key element of the architecture. Their role is to pick up the oncoming reentry vehicles, shortly after they are launched, well over radar's horizon, track them, plot the trajectory, project their aim points, and watch for features that distinguish the real RVs from decoys. Over the last 18 years, ballistic missile defense has evolved through various options to a system called SBIRS-Low to handle this mission. These are satellite sensors in low-Earth orbit, some 18 to 30 in all, depending on the configuration, and they are on constant patrol or will be, once launched, in circling the globe. Now comes this bill and, out of the blue, kills SBIRS-Low, a program some 6 or 7 years old. My amendment would bring it back, restore funding to the level that was approved by the House Committee on Armed Services and by the Senate Armed Services Committee, to $360 million, which is $25 million below the President's request. While this bill terminates SBIRS-Low, it recognizes the critical need for such a system.”