United States Seeks to Reassure Allies on MEADS

The U.S. Defense Department last month sent a letter to reassure Italian and German officials that a “fair and balanced” Medium Extended Air Defense System can be developed, Inside Missile Defense reported today (see GSN, Sept. 3, 2003).

In the past two months, Italy and Germany have sent letters to the Pentagon criticizing proposed cuts to their work share on the MEADS program, Inside Missile Defense reported. Since a U.S. decision last year to combine the MEADS program with the Patriot missile interceptor, the United States, Italy and Germany have been negotiating how to proceed to the design and development phase, Inside Missile Defense reported.

The MEADS program has already been delayed by seven months and there are concerns over additional delays, sources said. The Pentagon hopes to reach an initial agreement on program development this month and to sign a memorandum of understanding among the three nations in July, Inside Missile Defense reported (Emily Hsu, Inside Missile Defense, April 14).

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