RUSSIAN QUOTA SYSTEM The State Department - Washington, D.C. The Clinton administration has imposed sanctions against Moscow for providing advanced missile technology to Iran and threatens to extend more penalties. Yet, Russia will use up its quota of U.S. satellite launches by the end of 1999, over a year ahead of schedule. U.S. satellite firms and a cash-strapped Moscow are pressing the Clinton administration to drop the quota. Clinton, however, is in no mood to repeat the same mistakes made under the Brown led Commerce Department and has allowed the diplomats to take the lead. Unlike Commerce - State and DOD officials are placing military and diplomatic concerns ahead of trade. State Department spokesman, James Rubin, stated "If we don't get progress on the missile proliferation problem, we are not going to be able to support increasing the quota." MADE IN THE U.S.A. Vandenberg AFB, California. Loral/Globalstar has signed a deal with U.S. rocket maker Boeing for seven Delta II launches. Two of the improved Delta rockets will be launched into orbit from Vandenberg in the fourth quarter of 1999. The U.S. rocket buy - over cheaper Russian and Chinese space vehicles - shows Loral is learning a lesson - the hard way. U.S. vehicles and insurance may be costly but failed launches on foreign vehicles put Globalstar far behind schedule and way over budget. Loral was stung by the 1998 failure of a Russian Zenit that destroyed 12 Globalstar satellites. National security concerns over foreign technology transfers brought bad publicity on top of launch failures. Loral is also involved up to their eyeballs in the Chinagate scandal through major donations to President Clinton by its CEO, Bernard Schwartz. Schwartz traveled to Beijing in 1994 with Ron Brown and met with Chinese Lt. General Shen Roujun to arrange the transfer of encrypted satellite telemetry systems. HOLY GRAIL! Moscow - The Kremlin. Russian missiles makers are offering an upgrade to the older SA-7 man-portable surface-to-air missile. The SA-7 made its first combat appearance over the skies of Vietnam and was considered lethal against U.S. helicopters. Over 50,000 SA-7 (NATO Codename "Grail) have been sold worldwide, many to terrorist organizations. NOW - for a limited time only! RED light special! Russian missile makers are offering an upgrade package priced around $20,000 per missile that includes a new dual I/R & U/V seeker head and on-board digital computer using components from the SA-18 Russian SAM missile system. The SA-7+ (informally known to western defense analysts as the "Holy Grail") will not be fooled by flares or Infra-Red Counter Measures (IRCM) mounted on U.S. aircraft. ONLY ONE FOX LEFT Virginia - The Pentagon. The U.S. used about 330 Tomahawk cruise missiles and 90 Air Launched Cruise missiles (ALCM) during Desert Fox. All the USAF launched ALCM cruise missiles were Block 1 types equipped with heavy conventional warheads for bunker busting. In addition, 230 laser-guided bombs were used and about 250 dumb "iron" Mk. 82 bombs. According to recon results of Desert Fox, the cruise missile and laser bomb attacks left most of Iraqi air defenses intact. "Should we be picking off SAM sites one by one in the no fly zone?" asked Read Adm. David Nichols, Central Command Deputy Director. "No, I don't think so." The U.S. military is scrambling to replace the highly valuable robot missiles but both services have opted not to purchase new units. Instead, both are upgrading leftover inventories. The USAF bought only 200 of the heavy conventional ALCM missiles and has only enough on hand for one more Desert Fox like attack. The firing of 90 for Desert Fox has left the Air Force little choice but to convert 90 more of the remaining 130 formerly nuclear tipped missiles into bunker busters. The Navy is only a little better off. The Navy is converting 300 older "Block 2" Tomahawk missiles into the new "Block 3" GPS equipped missiles. FIN ================================================================ 1 if by land, 2 if by sea. Paul Revere - encryption 1775 Charles R. Smith SOFTWAR http://www.softwar.net [EMAIL PROTECTED] Pcyphered SIGNATURE: 1A0043ABFE4B50600485532A739AFA603DEB3274D154F4796F8ACA471EC52708 B42B1ACE77FF2600B0E9E674C58F6D4B22A5045BAACCDFA91AA49482476A4E1E 68668F454CF8D8F5 ================================================================ SOFTWAR EMAIL NEWSLETTER 01/18/99 *** to unsubscribe reply with "unsubscribe" as subject *** ================================================================
