MISSILE ARM AGAINST CHINA SLATED FOR 70S

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70B00338R000300100022-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 9, 2006
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: September 22, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

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Approved For Release 2006/0$0 : A7 P70BOO338R000300100022-0
lle OF 70s
By JERRY GREENE
I Shi PU1111
A o51 t Cth
Washington, Sept. 21 (News
Bureau) -Con struction of anti-
ballistic missile bases will begin
.at 15 to 20 sites across the United
'States, and the first production
contracts for the complicated sys-
tem will be awarded in about six
months.
It is expected, officials said to-
day, that the first battery for the
new system' designed as defense
against Chinese intercontinental
missiles will become operational
in about two years, and the full
network will be emplaced in the
early 1970s.
Put Cost Above 5 Billion
Completion of this "thin" de-
fense designed specifically for
protection against a Red China
attack will take five or six years.
Officials said the cost doubtless
would exceed the $5 billion price
tag estimated by Defense Secre-
tary Robert McNamara on Mon-
day when he announced the de-
ployment plan.
Both the long-range Spartan
anti missle rocket and the high
speed,, short-range Sprint will be
used,, but both will not necessari-
ly be installed at the same site.
Both Spartan and Sprint will
carry nuclear warheads.
Close-In Interceptor
Spartans have a range. of
several hundred miles and are de-
signed to detonate in space, while
prints, with a range of 15 to 25
miles, are intended- as a final,
close-in interceptor within the
atmosphere. V
Tl-j3 combination of the two
rockets will give a limited amount
of protection to the entire-U.S.,
and the Sprints will give. added
security to the. radar of the new
system and to the Minuteman
ICBMs, being emplaced in 1,000
hardened silos in Midwestern and;
Western states.
Approved For Release 2006/01/30 : CIA-RDP70B00338R000300100022-0