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To: Gord Bolton who wrote (83142)	3/11/2002 4:38:41 AM
From: E. Charters	Respond to of 117014

When I was leader of the project alpha the think tank that designed and built radar evading aircraft for the US army in 1955, we were never told the greatest danger of the cold war. The work was hazardous and the hours were long, but the chilling spectre of impending doom that would come to haunt our remaining days on earth was beyond any science fiction horror. We never in our worst nightmare imagined that we would never get paid! Our idea was simple. Radar worked by bouncing off a reflector and back to the detection apparatus. The time delay was measured and the position and speed of the reflection was plotted. Defense could then be vectored into the sky to retaliate against any unkown invader. We reasoned that if the craft were small enough and made of non reflective material, the radar signature would be entirely invisible and enemy air space could be penetrated with impunity. Munitions or hardware would have to be miniaturized, and apportioned over many craft instead of being carried on one. Afterwards the craft would meet, assemble the bombs or missiles and strike the target. We began to labour in our basements making tens of thousands of paper aircraft with miniature motors and pieces of bombs. Finally, after two years, the one million craft tiny airforce was built and deployed. It was difficult to detect, so in absence of a returning craft and subsequent report, one had to take it on faith that the weapon was working. No one has ever complained about invaded airspace, so we know that the things if not completely invisible are being put down as some other phenomona and the deadly danger to totatlitarian states continues to protect us to this day. One problem with the weapon is that when testing it it tended to get sticky if one was apphrehended on the ground with a paper airplane in the vicinity of an airport. We can remember being unceremoniously hauled off by the scruff of the neck by airport security and our aircraft being confiscated more than once. Naturally secrecy prevented us from complaining. Another problem was for treaty negotiators. Including an undetectable weapon in the equation as a matter of balance of power, was difficult, as this exchange shows. Negotiator: "Well, you must take into account our secret airforce of one million undetectable aircraft that are presently parked in the sky over your nation. How do you rate the risk of their possible attack in your scenario?" Agent of Totalitarian puppet: "Well, if we can't see them and cannot detect them, how do we know they exist for the purposes of this discussion?" The final formidable hazard presented itself when our group billed the government. "Item: One million secret invisible aircraft deployed over foreign dicator's country @ 100 dollars per aircraft..... 100 million dollars Terms of payment cash or check.. thirty days." The government reply was, " Dear super secret think tank person, While we warmly congratulate you for your good intentions and noble sacrifice in helping your country, we at present are unable to find the authorization of purchase for the items mentioned. We have forwared the invoice to government departments who may be responsible in order that we may track down the item. Please be patient as there 250,000 departments and 150,000,000,000 records and not all of them are indexed. It may take some time for clerks to go through the files and find what has gone wrong. We will get back to you at the earliest possible opportunity. Warmest regards, William Jefferson Clinton, Supplies and Procurement Officer, Department of the Interior." There is such a thing as being too secret. EC<:-}