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     Mr. Chairman and Members of the committee, it is my pleasure to appear before you today to present the Fiscal Year 2001 Military Construction (MILCON) program for the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO).

     My appearance here today is itself an indicator of the progress we have made in ballistic missile defense, and especially the National Missile Defense (NMD) program. The vast majority of the funds in this request support the construction of the NMD initial deployment facilities.

      Our Fiscal Year 2001 MILCON request is $103.5 million, which includes $85.1 million for Major Construction in the NMD program, $3.7 million for Unspecified Minor MILCON, with $2 million set aside for NMD, and $14.7 million for Planning and Design, which includes $14.5 million for NMD. From Fiscal Years 2001 through 2005, there is $488.6 million for the BMDO MILCON program. For FY01, we are submitting a single "system level" DD 1391 for NMD initial deployment support facilities. This DD 1391 requests authorization of $451.1 million, $85.1 million for the first year of a multi-year appropriation, is to construct the tactical and tactical-support facilities required to deploy the NMD system. We have initiated facility planning and design in FY99 and completed the 65% design level for the GBI and X-band radar tactical support facilities.

     Because of the long-lead times involved, this year's request is necessary to support a presidential decision to deploy an NMD system in Fiscal Year 2005. We plan to conduct a Deployment Readiness Review (DRR) in June of this year. Although this starts a key decision process, it is the first of at least three decision milestones in the program over the next five years. This DRR will take place at the Defense acquisition executive level - with full participation from all Department of Defense stakeholders. The DRR will not constitute the actual decision to deploy the NMD system. Rather, it will assess the technological progress to support a subsequent decision by the President to deploy. The Administration also will assess the current state of the program, the threat, the affordability of the system, and take into account the implications for the overall strategic environment and our arms control objectives. If a decision is made to deploy, we will simultaneously seek approval for our recommended NMD site and award of the construction contract for that site.

     I would like to take a moment to explain how we envision the individual NMD system elements will operate when combined as a fully operational and integrated system, many are ground-based and have MILCON implications. Let us assume a hostile launch to begin the engagement process. Space-based sensors make the initial detection and report a threat launch. DSP, and eventually SBIRS-High, will alert the entire system of a potential ballistic missile attack, cue the radars to erect "search fences" to detect the incoming missile, and start evaluation of engagement options at battle-management centers. When the threat missile crosses into the range of ground-based early warning radars, these radars confirm target missile flight and tracking information. Upon data confirmation, the BM/C3 center cues the X-Band Radar and directs the launch of a ground-based interceptor. The ground-based X-band radar provides high-resolution target tracking data to the interceptor in flight through an In-Flight Interceptor Communications System. This data will be used by the interceptor to maneuver close enough to the target missile for the on-board kill vehicle sensor to discriminate the warheads from decoys and debris. Sensors on the kill vehicle provide final, precise course corrections to enable the kill vehicle to destroy the target. Multiple interceptors launched at each incoming reentry vehicle, either in salvo or in waves (a "shoot-look-shoot" scenario), are expected to increase dramatically the probability of a successful intercept.

     Although the President has not yet decided to deploy the system, the NMD program has reached the point in its development where we must request FY01 funds to procure the facilities required to meet an FY05 initial deployment capability. The NMD facilities included in this MILCON request are those required to support initial deployment of the system. They include the tactical and tactical-support facilities to support an X-Band radar complex and a ground-based interceptor (GBI) missile launch complex at different locations. They also include a series of Battle Management/Command, Control and Communications (BM/C3) sites with dispersed In-Flight Interceptor Communications System data terminals.

     The X-band radar complex includes a radar operations facility with adjoining antenna mount tower, a power plant, fuel-oil storage tanks, a fire protection system, and alterations to existing unaccompanied personnel housing and administration areas. The GBI missile launch complex include a missile field, missile storage igloos, a missile processing building, a site support building, a readiness station/BMC3, a headquarters building, a security building, an entry control station, a power plant, and fuel oil storage tanks. The BM/C3 facilities include the construction of multiple facilities at dispersed locations to accommodate the installation of In-Flight Interceptor Communications System data terminals.

     Mission critical facilities are provided with shielding against the effects of High Altitude Electro-Magnetic Pulse and collective chemical, biological, and radiological protective-measures. Supporting facilities include normal utilities, buried shielded power and communications lines, security systems, site infrastructure, certain base support and administration facilities, and modified existing unaccompanied personnel housing.

     We have proceeded vigorously with the facility acquisition process concurrently with the development and testing of the system elements to meet the FY05 deployment date. Currently, there are four candidate interceptor sites, two in North Dakota and two in Alaska. We have conducted fact-finding and siting studies at these locations. On October 1, 1999, we published in the Federal Register a Notice of Availability of the NMD Program's Deployment Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), inviting public review and comment. As part of this comment process, we held public forums in Alaska, North Dakota, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC. We also received written comments. The public comment period ended on January 19, 2000. We are considering all comments received as we prepare the program's Final EIS, which will be completed later this spring as required by law. The EIS process represents one input into the deployment decision process.

     Because an NMD site has not yet been selected, we have maintained the flexibility within our design to satisfy either Alaska or North Dakota deployment options. Facilities have been designed to fit all candidate locations. We have programmed the facilities for the most stressing siting options and have also maintained flexibility within our design to incorporate changes in facility requirements as NMD development continues.

     If a decision is made in 2000 to deploy, we will conduct a Defense Acquisition Board review in Fiscal Year 2001 to assess the status of the program. Based on program performance, in FY01, we would seek approval to initiate upgrades to the current early warning radars, begin building the X-band radar tower, initiate site improvements of the missile site, and order the long-lead equipment and generators for the X-band ground-based radar. In FY02 we will initiate the infrastructure work in support of the missile site and start integrating the BM/C3. In fiscal '03, we would conduct another Defense Acquisition Board review to seek approval to procure and deploy the ground-based interceptors as well as the necessary spares and test rounds. While we are planning to deploy twenty interceptors by fiscal '05, and eighty additional interceptors by fiscal '07, we will continue to assess the impact of those requirements in our future MILCON requests.

     This is a prudent military construction program. It allows us to do what we need to do now, while preserving flexibility for the future. If the President decides that the system is ready to deploy, these funds will ensure that the required facilities are ready in time to support timely deployment.

     I would like to thank the Committee for its leadership and support. Mr. Chairman, in my short tenure as Director of BMDO, I am more convinced than ever that effective missile defense is crucial to the defense of the nation and our troops. We value the partnership of Congress in this enterprise to develop and field effective missile defenses. I look forward to working with the Committee Members.

      Mr. Chairman, I would be pleased to answer the Committee's questions.