Aerospace Company Leading Development Of Shield

As North Korea continues to flex its missile-muscle... who might be feeling the heat here in the US more than Boeing?

The aerospace giant has the perhaps unenviable task of crafting America's missile defense. Already stung by a couple of recent test failures... Boeing will undoubtedly be under the missile-microscope later this year... during two more interceptor tests.

"This is a very big deal for them," said Philip Coyle, senior adviser to the Center for Defense Information. "They will say they've done simulated things on computers, and that's fine. But the military wants to see the proof in the pudding."

The Trib reports the US government has spent almost $ 90 billion on the missile shield program since 1985... about half of it since President Bush took office in 2001. Between now and 2012... the US will also spend another $58 billion on missile defense sites here and in Europe.

Here's the problem, though -- the last successful intercept was four years ago. Since then, there have been failures in 2004 and again last year.

"Boeing would claim that it has some kind of incremental capability," Coyle added. "The MDA likes to say it's better than zero. But, unfortunately, the systems being deployed in Alaska and California have no demonstrated capability to defend the U.S. under realistic operational conditions."

While Boeing won't talk about specifics, a spokesman tells the Tribune that Boeing's customers are confident in the system.

Interestingly, that spokesman wouldn't say outright whether the system will or will not prevent a successful missile attack against the US.

FMI: www.boeing.com