U.S. defence still in good shape-officials

Press, 29 August 1984, Page 23

U.S. defence still in good shape-officials

NZPA-Reuter Washington The United States’ defence capability remains unimpaired inspite of recent reports of questionable quality and high delivery costs of some key weapons systems, according to Pentagon officials and defence industry sources. “The United States is just as able to fight now as it was last month. Nothing has changed there, but there may be short delays in some weapons,” a Pentagon official said. “The question of reliability in some missiles has not affected our readiness. We have good weapons and where they are problems, we are addressing them," said another offical. The officials, who asked not to be identified, spoke

after a rash of bad publicity for the United States military.

The Pentagon in midAugust stopped accepting delivery of Phoenix air-to-air missiles, Maverick air-to-ground missiles and TOW anti-tank missiles because of poor quality control and workmanship at the Hughes Aircraft Company’s Tucson, Arizona, plant. Hughes itself stopped delivering radar systems to the Government for Fl 4, Fl 5 and FlB jets after the Navy discovered serious workmanship problems in an Fl 4 radar.

On July 26, the Navy said it was restricting the manoeuvres of its new $5O million FlB fighter-bomber and grounded 10 of the planes because of cracks in tail assemblies