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Memorandum: No. 049-MApril 3, 1997
The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization has formed a Joint Program Office for the National Missile Defense program, effective April 1, 1997. This new organization will provide management oversight for NMD program elements from the U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command and Program Executive Officer for Air and Missile Defense, Huntsville, Ala.; U.S. Air Force Electronic Systems Command, Hanscom AFB, Mass.; U.S. Air Force Space and Missile System Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif., and the Joint National Test Facility, Colorado Springs, Colo. The JPO will be responsible for the design, development and demonstration of an NMD system to defend the United States from ballistic missile attack by 2003, if it is determined such a threat exists. Brig. Gen. Joseph Cosumano, U.S. Army, will lead the NMD JPO, reporting to Lt. Gen. Lester L. Lyles, U.S. Air Force, BMDO Director. Gen. Lyles also serves as the Department of Defense ballistic missile defense acquisition executive. In the Fiscal Year 1997 Defense Appropriations Conference Report, Congress directed the Secretary of Defense to complete a cost-benefit analysis on the establishment of a NMD JPO, and that no establishment of a JPO would take place prior to the submission of a report to Congress by March 31, 1997. BMDO met this requirement, and the cost-benefit analysis was delivered to Congress as directed. Last year, Dr. Paul Kaminski, Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Technology), directed the BMDO Director to establish a JPO “because the development of an NMD capability is truly a joint effort, requiring proponency and capabilities from the military services, industry and DoD agencies.” He added that formation of the JPO “should not result in the creation of a large government organization.” As directed by Dr. Kaminski last year, the JPO will not exceed 65 people in the Washington, D.C. area. The NMD program is now in development, and has been designated a Major Defense Acquisition Program. An integrated system test is scheduled for 1999. At the end of the development phase, an analysis will be undertaken to examine the threat of a potential ballistic missile attack to the United States. If warranted, the NMD system could be operational in 2003. Questions should be addressed to Lt. Col. Rick Lehner, BMDO, at (703) 695-8743.
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