Obama shifts military priority
The US military will conduct a crucial missile test at 3pm Eastern Time today. The test is to determine the ability of the new missile defence system. The test will cost an estimated R1.15 billion.
The test is a key event in the missile defence program as President-elect Obama is about to take office. In his campaign Obama said that he would pull funding for all unproven missile defence systems, although he also stated that defence systems that do work will continue to receive funding.
Previous test have come under scrutiny since all tests were conducted without the use of counter measures by the targeted missile. This new test will involve the use of counter measures to determine how the defence system copes. Lt. Gen. Trey Obering (former head of the U.S. Missle Defence Agency) said last month that all US missile systems are up and running.
Michael Reed
