To: Rarebird who wrote (55979 ) 7/10/2000 5:46:33 AM From: long-gone Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 116815 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air Force running out of cruise missiles Service restarting production of vital Cold War-era weapon -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Charles Smith © 2000 WorldNetDaily.com The U.S. Air Force is running out of cruise missiles. In response, Air Force officials, concerned that the current inventory of air-launched cruise missiles will not be enough for a future conflict, have decided to re-start production of the Cold War-era weapon. The service decided to restart production of the air-launched cruise missile after the U.S.A.F. arsenal dropped to an all-time low of 60 weapons. The Air Force missile shortage reportedly was caused by the Clinton administration, which used large numbers of the robot missile weapons for strikes against Iraq and Kosovo. In 1996, Air Force officers were openly critical of the Clinton administration for wasting missiles, following strikes against Iraq. One specific example cited was the unsuccessful "Desert Strike" operation, in which air-launched cruise missiles with fragmentary warheads were mis-targeted against hardened Iraqi bunkers on White House orders. The missile fragmentary warheads, designed to destroy "soft" targets such as trucks, are ineffective against hardened concrete bunkers. (cont) In 1996, Air Force officers were openly critical of the Clinton administration for wasting missiles, following strikes against Iraq. The White House reportedly bypassed the U.S.A.F. Air Combat Command and directly ordered airborne B-52s to fire the cruise missiles against the Iraqi bunkers. Boeing sources told WorldNetDaily that most of its cruise missile manufacturing equipment has been sold or was dismantled after the Cold War ended. The missile shortage appears just as the People's Republic of China is developing a new cruise missile reported to be nearly identical to the U.S. Navy Tomahawk. (cont)worldnetdaily.com