
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, March 16, 1991                   TAG: 9103190379
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PATRIOT MISSILE OWES MUCH TO SDI

YOUR EDITORIAL March 5 stating that the performance of the Patriot missile system and research into the Strategic Defense Initiative are not linked is patently spurious. Using similar logic, it could be argued that the ability to dial a phone owes nothing to Alexander Graham Bell, as he did not invent the telephone dial; nor did The Bell Telephone Co. fund the research that perfected it.

The success of the Patriot system is based on the ability to determine the trajectory of an incoming missile; calculate a reciprocal trajectory to intercept the missile; program the guidance system of the Patriot with the intercept trajectory; and fire. These require tools and methods dating from Isaac Newton, who first rigorously defined the laws of motion.

The requirement of calculating an intercept orbit is the same regardless of whether a missile is tactical or strategic. The Patriot's success proved the concept of using reciprocal-trajectory calculations in defending against incoming missiles of any type.

In fact, the success of the tank war in the gulf was dependent on the same calculations. Fire-control officers were able to target Iraqi tanks by using the trajectory of their incoming ranging fire, and destroying the enemy tanks before they could be seen by allied forces.

Engineers talk. Engineers discuss common problems. Engineers build new systems using the best available technology. The best available technology has been moved forward by the $23 billion spent on SDI since 1984. Allied Lives were saved using SDI derived technology. Ask the family of a serviceman from the gulf if the money was well-spent. LAWRENCE SHIELD BURNT CHIMNEY

by CNB