News

17 November 1997

TEXT: DOD STATEMENT ON ALLIANCE GROUND SURVEILLANCE AND NATO

(US working in support of acquisition of core AGS capability) (550)



Washington -- The Defense Department said that a meeting of the NATO
Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) November 6 resulted
in a decision "to initiate an intensive search for fresh concepts and
acquisition options" for acquisition of Alliance Ground Surveillance
(AGS).


A U.S. proposal that "would have provided the NATO Alliance with an
AGS capability as early as the year 2000" was withdrawn after
consensus could not be reached.


"The United States continues to believe that the Alliance must move
expeditiously to procure a core AGS capability and to achieve the
benefits of a learning curve of application in peace and during
hostilities," DOD said.


"The United States plans to continue to work closely with the Alliance
and believes that its on-going Joint STARS experiences will contribute
substantively to the acquisition of an AGS capability to meet NATO
commanders' requirements."


Following is the text of the DOD statement.



(Begin text)



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS

November 17, 1997

 

Statement Regarding U.S. Alliance Ground Surveillance



The NATO Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) met in its
biannual plenary session in Brussels, Belgium on Nov. 6, 1997. The
United States was represented by then Acting Under Secretary of
Defense for Acquisition and Technology R. Noel Longuemare.


The principal issue addressed by the CNAD was the acquisition strategy
for Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS). The CNAD considered a report
by a steering committee and the completed NATO staff requirement for
AGS and reaffirmed the intention of the nations to find a successful
way to support an earlier decision made by the NATO Ministers of
Defense. That decision was to pursue a minimum essential NATO-owned
and operated core AGS capability supplemented by national assets.


The United States had proposed an early payer offer which would have
fully funded the program in 1998 and would have provided the
preponderance of the 1999 funding. This would have provided the NATO
Alliance with an AGS capability as early as the year 2000. The CNAD
was unable to reach a consensus on this offer -- largely due to
economic considerations -- and the United States therefore withdrew
its proposal. Consequently, the CNAD has decided to initiate an
intensive search for fresh concepts and acquisition options, to be
considered at its Spring 1998 meeting.


Experience with the U.S. AGS candidate program, Joint STARS, in the
Gulf War, in Bosnia and in recent exercises, validates the essential
nature of this military system. Recent exercises in the Korean
Peninsula have demonstrated new applications for this revolutionary
capability. These exercises demonstrate the ingenuity of the AGS
operators to formulate methods of employment not previously
anticipated when the system was developed and the concept of
operations defined. The United States continues to believe that the
Alliance must move expeditiously to procure a core AGS capability and
to achieve the benefits of a learning curve of application in peace
and during hostilities.


The United States plans to continue to work closely with the Alliance
and believes that its on-going Joint STARS experiences will contribute
substantively to the acquisition of an AGS capability to meet NATO
commanders' requirements.


(End text)




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