Funding for some $73 million in projects at the Pacific Missile Range is part of an appropriations bill that’s winding its way through the Senate. The bill contains $530 million for defense-related projects in Hawai’i and the Pacific region. The
Funding for some $73 million in projects at the Pacific Missile Range is part of an appropriations bill that’s winding its way through the Senate. The bill contains $530 million for defense-related projects in Hawai’i and the Pacific region.
The funding, which is in addition to PMRF’s annual budget of about $50 million, reflects the urgency in the nation for homeland defense following the terrorists attacks of last Sept. 11.
The Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Hawai’i Senator Daniel Inouye is a senior member, on Thursday approved the Fiscal Year 2003 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill.
The measure now goes before the full Senate for approval. After that, a joint House-Senate Conference Committee will work out the differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill. The reconciled measure will be returned to the House and Senate for final passage before it is transmitted to the White House for the president’s signature.
“Prioritizing our nation’s defense programs was a difficult process, but I am confident that this Senate bill appropriately addresses America’s urgent and long-term security needs,” said Inouye, who is chairman of the subcommittee that drafted the bill.
Programs at PMRF would be boosted with $25 million for Theater Missile Defense Upgrades, $20 million for operations support and $9.8 million for range upgrades.
More specialized programs include $6 million for a Maritime Synthetic Range that allows for the simulation of targets for tracking and surveillance tests, and $5 million for optical-electro sensors, which provide PMRF with precise measurements and tracking of targets to support Theater Ballistic Missile Defense testing programs.
The Kauai Test Facility would receive $4 million. The facility is operated by Sandia National Laboratories and owned by the U.S. Department of Energy. Work there includes launching realistic trajectories that act as targets for sensor and interceptor testing programs.
Some $3.5 million would go a Range Data Fusion Upgrade Project to upgrade the computer handling and processing architecture at PMRF. Data fusion combines and processes information from diverse sensors – such as space-based, land-based, and ship-based radar and optical sensors – to improve the probability of correct target detection, classification, identification, and tracking.
The Exercise Scenario Planning Real-time Integrated Test would receive $3.5 million to help in planning, rehearsing, and executing complex Tactical Ballistic Missile Defense exercises from the base.
Kaua’i programs under the Office of Naval Research would receive some $73 million. The E-2C Technical Upgrade for Optimized Radar funding would provide $8 million to upgrade the radar capabilities of an E-2C aircraft, an all-weather, carrier-based tactical airborne warning and control system platform used by carrier battle groups. This research will be conducted at the Pacific Missile Range Facility’s mountain top complex.
The Tactical Control Network Applications Integration plan would receive $35 million for network tests at PMRF. The TCN system is a highly sophisticated software network that will provide composite tracking of enemy targets, including missiles.
An Ultra High Frequency Electronically Scanned Antenna would get $15 million. The system is part of a multi-sensor testing and integration system for the Navy’s Command, Control, Intelligence-, Surveillance and Reconnaissance program.
And the Modular Command Center would receive $15 million. The center operates a command, control, and communications network that connects naval forces in the Pacific.
