- A classified U.S. Defense Intelligence
Agency (DIA) report states that Israel in late 1996 and early 1997 likely
gave China information on the Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) jointly
being developed by Israel and the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command
(USASMDC) to demonstrate the utility of high energy lasers in tactical
applications as an inexpensive counter to short-range missiles and air-based
threats.
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- China is known by U.S. intelligence to
be working on its own high energy laser weapons systems. Last May, however,
nearly two years after Israel was suspected of transferring THEL technology
to China, top U.S. officials involved in the program expressed that they
were still concerned about Israel's access to certain classified portions
of the program.
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- Speaking on background at the USASMDC
headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama, the officials of the USASMDC and the
Department of Defense's Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) specifically
expressed concern about Israel getting access to software code which would
allow it to "re-program" the THEL to be used against airborne
aircraft other than the 122mm Russian-made Katyusha rockets frequently
launched by terrorists into northern Israel from southern Lebanon. The
first operational unit is expected to be fielded this year in northern
Israel.
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- According to the officials, the U.S.,
under its agreement with the Israeli government, is to control the software
code used to target the laser at specific types of airborne craft. Under
this July, 1996 agreement, the THEL being developed for deployment in Israel
is supposed to be restricted to being used against Katyusha rockets only.
Israel is only "to have access to executable code," U.S. officials
at the USASMDC headquarters told SOURCES, explaining that anyone who had
access to the source targeting code could re-program the laser to be fired
at virtually any airborne aircraft, from missile to plane.
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- When questioned last week by The Washington
Times about the secret DIA report that states Israel was trying to obtain
the targeting computer code and other THEL technology, USASMDC officials
had no immediate comment, although a USASMDC spokesperson was quoted as
saying he was unaware of the Israeli efforts to obtain the code or any
other unauthorized transfer of technology.
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- During the briefings, one top U.S. DoD
official specifically referred to problems the U.S. had had with Israel
trying to obtain the targeting code, but stressed that the code had not
been compromised.
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- Israel, which is funding a third of the
THEL program, was chosen as a partner for this U.S. Advanced Concept Technology
Demonstration (ACTD) program because of its need for an effective defense
against the Katyusha rocket. An ACTD program is one which can lead to accelerated
acquisition in order to rapidly field a vital new weapons system.
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- The DIA report, according to The Washington
Times, discloses that Israeli government officials obtained some restricted
technology from TRW Space and Electronics Group, the prime contractor for
the program, in 1996 which it may have shared with China. Following the
unauthorized technology transfer, TRW halted any further technology transfers
to Israel.
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- TRW employees in Israel reportedly observed
Chinese technicians working secretly at Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI),
one of the Israeli companies involved in the THEL program. The company
is working on the THEL's radar, fire control assemblies, and sensors for
its pointer/tracker.
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- "IAI has transferred technology
to China, possibly including U.S.-supplied technology," the DIA report
states.
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- Steven Brian, a former undersecretary
of defense for technology transfers, told SOURCES in February that based
on his knowledge of Israeli and China's efforts to acquire advanced U.S.
weapons technologies, it is highly likely that Israel provided China with
significant data on the THEL, adding that if China were to acquire the
THEL targeting code, coupled with whatever THEL technology it already has,
it could have serious and far-reaching ramifications for the U.S. military.
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