THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 22, 1996 TAG: 9602220303
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
The Pentagon has agreed to provide $9 million to a Newport News physics research center for continued work on a ship-borne laser that might one day be used to destroy cruise missiles fired at U.S. vessels.
U.S. Sen. Charles S. Robb of Virginia said Wednesday that John Hamre, the Defense Department's comptroller, has agreed to sign a letter guaranteeing the Pentagon's contribution to the laser being developed at the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility in Newport News.
Money for the laser was included in the 1996 defense budget. But Robb said officials learned recently that the money was being eyed for possible transfer into accounts financing the U.S. military mission in Bosnia.
With pressure on to reduce the federal deficit, ``any little pockets of money which are not absolutely tied down become targets,'' Robb said.
Hermann A. Grunder, CEBAF's director, led a delegation to Washington on Tuesday to restate the agency's case. The Department of Energy, which owns CEBAF, along with state and local governments and private sources also are contributing to the $42 million project.
The laser is expected to have a variety of applications in fabric manufacturing, as well as the packaging, electronics and materials industries. by CNB