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Technology Stocks : Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Valueman who wrote (17644)	11/3/1998 10:49:00 PM
From: Ruffian	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 152472

<OT>China & Lasers; Chinese army is building lasers Weapons are able to hit U.S. satellites The Washington Times China's People's Liberation Army is building lasers to destroy satellites and already has beam weapons capable of damaging sensors on space-based reconnaissance and intelligence systems, according to a Pentagon report. Consequently, China could blind U.S. intelligence and military space equipment, systems vital for deploying U.S. military forces in current and future warfare. The lasers also could be used to disrupt or cripple commercial communications and navigation systems during "information warfare," according to the report mandated by Congress. The report said the PLA has acquired a variety of technologies "that could be used to develop an anti-satellite weapon." The report was released recently by the House National Security Committee. It was mandated under a provision of last year's defense bill. "China already may possess the capability to damage, under specific conditions, optical sensors on satellites that are very vulnerable to lasers," the report said. "Given China's current level of interest in laser technology, it is reasonable to assume that Beijing would develop a weapon that could destroy satellites in the future." The laser weapons capability is among several aspects of China's drive to develop high-technology weapons and to engage in information warfare: attacks on computers and other electronic systems. The Congress asked the Pentagon to assess China's strategy and military modernization efforts, including whether Beijing plans "to place weapons in space or to develop Earth-based weapons capable of attacking space-based systems." U.S. intelligence officials said the systems most vulnerable to laser attack are satellites run by the National Reconnaissance Office, which takes photographs from space, and the National Security Agency, which intercepts communications. "We're very aware of the threat," one official said. The ability to damage or destroy satellites will provide China with a strategic weapon against the U.S. military, which relies heavily on the use of spaced-based equipment for communicating with forces and detecting foreign military activities, from troops movements to missile launches. The United States has no anti-satellite weapons, or Asats, and abandoned work on an aircraft-launched satellite killer in the 1980s. Richard Fisher, a defense specialist with the Heritage Foundation, said the Pentagon's disclosure of Chinese anti-satellite efforts "is an extremely important revelation." The Pentagon report shows that China is preparing its forces to wage not only a "Desert Storm-level" of regional conflict but a 21st- century high-tech war, he said. Satellite vulnerabilities to lasers were revealed a year ago during the test firing of a two lasers against a U.S. satellite that damaged its sensors after a brief exposure to the beam. The test alarmed some Pentagon officials. Russian President Boris Yeltsin then revealed in a letter to President Clinton last year that Moscow had developed weapons capable of blasting satellites in space, but had abandoned them. The Pentagon viewed the letter as confirmation that Moscow retains the capability. The report also said China is constructing electronic jammers, "which could be used against Global Positioning System {GPS} receivers" - pinpoint navigational devices used in all military operations and in the commercial sector as well. Such jamming would severely hamper international transportation. "Exploitation of space - to include manned space operations - remains a high priority," the report said, noting that China's first manned space flight is expected before the end of next year. Manned space flight will contribute to an "improved military space system," it said. A White House report on U.S. national security strategy issued Friday said the administration seeks to "deter threats to our interests in space, and if deterrence fails, defeat hostile efforts against U.S. access to and use of space." Improvements in Chinese satellite technology are expected to enhance the accuracy of China's M-9 and M-11 missiles, with ranges of 372 miles and 186 miles, respectively. The report also said the PLA is using U.S. GPS and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (Glonass) satellites in developing advanced weapons and may use these satellites "to improve the accuracy of its missiles." "GPS updates would provide the potential to improve missile accuracy through midcourse guidance correction and increase the operational flexibility of road-mobile platforms," the report said. The road-mobile platforms include two new intercontinental ballistic missiles identified by the Pentagon as the DF-31 and DF-41, which will have ranges of 5,000 miles and 7,500 miles, respectively. (Copyright 1998) _____via IntellX_____ Publication Date: November 03, 1998 Powered by NewsReal's IndustryWatch ...back to top

To: Valueman who wrote (17644)	11/3/1998 11:16:00 PM
From: Jon Koplik	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 152472

Valueman - regarding : I can already see the analyst reports ... Maybe tomorrow will be back to the usual Wall Street approach of ... "Just forget about companies growing over 50% annually (like Qualcomm), and get back to "locking up those bargains" like Coca Cola and Gillette," which might even grow as fast as the inflation rate, if they are lucky. Or, maybe "diehard" Qualcomm shareholders like us will have removed enough shares of Qualcomm from the Supply part of the Suply/Demand dynamics to make new, incremental buyers of Qualcomm actually "pay up." Jon.