Boeing Leading Candidate To Build BMD Assets In Poland, Obering Says

The Boeing Co. [BA] is the leading candidate to build ballistic missile defense (BMD) interceptors that would be installed in Poland, according to media reports quoting Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry “Trey” Obering III, the Missile Defense Agency director.

Obering, speaking in Brussels at NATO headquarters, earlier mounted a stout defense of the BMD shield for Europe, which would involve installations in the Czech Republic and Poland.

He dismissed Russian claims that the BMD interceptors might be used against Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), noting a handful of interceptors would be incapable of countering hundreds of Russian ICBMs. (Please see Space & Missile Defense Report, Monday, Jan. 26, 2007, page 1.)

Obering said the BMD installation is geared instead to blocking missiles that might be fired from the Middle East, specifically citing Iran.

“Boeing is a logical nomination to be the lead” for the project in Poland, said Obering, without specifying how much of the roughly $2 billion to $2.5 billion that the United States would invest in the BMD system might go to the Chicago-based company. Boeing is the second largest defense contractor.