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Air Force Aerial Refueling

Description: Aerial refueling aircraft are key to air operations. The U.S. tanker fleet is large and effective, but old. Modernizing or replacing the current fleet of tankers presents the Department of Defense (DOD) with difficult choices in terms of desired capabilities, force structure, and budget. How this fleet will be maintained or replaced, and on what schedule, has proven controversial.
Date: September 19, 2005
Creator: Bolkcom, Christopher
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Air Force Aerial Refueling Methods: Flying Boom versus Hose-and-Drogue

Description: Decisions on the composition of the Air Force aerial refueling fleet were made decades ago, when the primary mission was to refuel long-range strategic bombers. Modifications have been made to many of these tanker aircraft (KC-135s and KC-10s) to make them more effective in refueling fighter aircraft. This report, which will be updated, examines the balance between two different refueling methods in today’s refueling fleet — “flying boom” and “hose-and-drogue.”
Date: May 11, 2005
Creator: Bolkcom, Christopher & Klaus, Jon D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Air Force FB-22 Bomber Concept

Description: The Air Force has expressed interest in developing a bomber variant of the F-22A Raptor to "bridge the gap" between today's bombers and a follow-on bomber in 2037. Questions exist regarding the FB-22's feasibility, cost, and combat potential.
Date: March 21, 2005
Creator: Bolkcom, Christopher
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Air Force Transformation

Description: This report considers how the Air Force is changing itself to meet new defensive needs. The issues for Congress on this are mostly budgetary and how effective it will be.
Date: January 25, 2005
Creator: Bolkcom, Christopher
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Airborne Laser (ABL): Issues for Congress

Description: This report examines the airborne laser (ABL) program and budget status. It also examines a variety of related issues, including the questionable maturity of ABL technologies, the number of ABL platforms the United States should acquire, and to what degree the United STates should invest in alternative technologies in the event that the ABL may not prove successful. This report does not provide a detailed technical assessment of the ABL program (see CRS Report RL30185, The Airborne Laser Anti-M… more
Date: August 18, 2005
Creator: Bolkcom, Christopher & Hildreth, Steven A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Bioterrorism Countermeasure Development: Issues in Patents and Homeland Security

Description: In the 109th Congress, several bills have been introduced, including S. 3, the Protecting America in the War on Terror Act, and S. 975, the Project Bioshield II Act, that would generate additional incentives for the creation of new technologies to counteract potential biological threats. These bills propose reforms to current policies and practices associated with intellectual property, particularly patents, and the marketing of pharmaceuticals and related products. This report includes patent… more
Date: May 6, 2005
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H. & Thomas, John R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Bunker Busters": Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator Issues, FY2005 and FY2006

Description: The Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) program has been the most controversial nuclear weapon program in Congress for the last several years. Supporters argue that it is needed to attack hard and deeply buried targets (such as leadership bunkers) in countries of concern, thereby deterring or defeating challenges from such nations; critics assert that RNEP would lower the threshold for use of nuclear weapons and prompt other nations to develop nuclear weapons to deter U.S. attack. This repor… more
Date: August 2, 2005
Creator: Medalia, Jonathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Bunker Busters": Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator Issues, FY2005 and FY2006

Description: The Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) program has been the most controversial nuclear weapon program in Congress for the last several years. Supporters argue that it is needed to attack hard and deeply buried targets (such as leadership bunkers) in countries of concern, thereby deterring or defeating challenges from such nations; critics assert that RNEP would lower the threshold for use of nuclear weapons and prompt other nations to develop nuclear weapons to deter U.S. attack. This repor… more
Date: July 6, 2005
Creator: Medalia, Jonathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Bunker Busters": Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator Issues, FY2005 and FY2006

Description: The Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) program has been the most controversial nuclear weapon program in Congress for the last several years. Supporters argue that it is needed to attack hard and deeply buried targets (such as leadership bunkers) in countries of concern, thereby deterring or defeating challenges from such nations; critics assert that RNEP would lower the threshold for use of nuclear weapons and prompt other nations to develop nuclear weapons to deter U.S. attack. This repor… more
Date: June 23, 2005
Creator: Medalia, Jonathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Bunker Busters": Sources of Confusion in the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator Debate

Description: Earth penetrator weapons, often called “bunker busters,” burrow into the ground some tens of feet before detonating, greatly increasing their ability to destroy buried targets. The United States has several types of conventional earth penetrators. The Air Force and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) are studying a more effective penetrator, the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP). The FY2005 defense authorization act contained the full RNEP request, $27.6 million. This repor… more
Date: January 10, 2005
Creator: Medalia, Jonathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues

Description: Congress has long been concerned about whether U.S. policy advances the national interest in reducing the role of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles that could deliver them. China has taken some steps to mollify U.S. concerns about its role in weapons proliferation. Skeptics question whether China's cooperation in weapons nonproliferation has warranted President Bush's pursuit of stronger bilateral ties. This report discus… more
Date: February 22, 2005
Creator: Kan, Shirley A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues

Description: Congress has long been concerned about whether U.S. policy advances the national interest in reducing the role of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles that could deliver them. China has taken some steps to mollify U.S. concerns about its role in weapons proliferation. Skeptics question whether China's cooperation in weapons nonproliferation has warranted President Bush's pursuit of stronger bilateral ties. This report discus… more
Date: April 5, 2005
Creator: Kan, Shirley A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Deepwater Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the Deepwater program, which is a 20- to 25-year acquisition effort to replace or modernize 93 aging Coast Guard ships and 207 aging Coast Guard aircraft. The program’s estimated total acquisition cost is $19 billion to $24 billion. On March 25, 2005 the Coast Guard submitted to Congress a revised implementation plan for the program that alters the planned capabilities and numbers of Deepwater assets and the schedule for acquiring or modernizing them. Some Members of Congr… more
Date: April 1, 2005
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Deepwater Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: The Deepwater program is a $24-billion, 25-year acquisition program to replace or modernize 93 Coast Guard ships and 207 Coast Guard aircraft. The Coast Guard’s FY2006 budget requests $966 million for the program. Some Members of Congress have strongly criticized the Deepwater program on several grounds. The House version of H.R. 2360, the FY2006 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, reduces the FY2006 Deepwater funding request to $500 million; the Senate version reduces it… more
Date: May 19, 2005
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Deepwater Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: The Deepwater program is a $24 billion, 25-year acquisition program to replace or modernize 93 Coast Guard ships and 207 Coast Guard aircraft. The Coast Guard's FY2007 budget requests $934.431 million for the program. Some Members of Congress have criticized and expressed strong concerns over the Deepwater program on several grounds. The House-reported version of H.R. 5441, the FY2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, recommends $892.64 million for the Deepwater program. more
Date: May 12, 2005
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Deepwater Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: The Deepwater program is a $24-billion, 25-year acquisition program to replace or modernize 93 Coast Guard ships and 207 Coast Guard aircraft. The Coast Guard’s FY2006 budget requests $966 million for the program. Some Members of Congress have strongly criticized the Deepwater program on several grounds. The House version of H.R. 2360, the FY2006 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, reduces the FY2006 Deepwater funding request to $500 million; the Senate version reduces it… more
Date: June 28, 2005
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Deepwater Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: The Deepwater program is a $24-billion, 25-year acquisition program to replace or modernize 93 Coast Guard ships and 207 Coast Guard aircraft. The Coast Guard’s FY2006 budget requests $966 million for the program. Some Members of Congress have strongly criticized the Deepwater program on several grounds. The House version of H.R. 2360, the FY2006 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, reduces the FY2006 Deepwater funding request to $500 million; the Senate version reduces it… more
Date: July 22, 2005
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Combat Aircraft Sales to South Asia: Potential Implications

Description: In March 2005, the Bush Administration announced a willingness to resume sales of F-16 combat aircraft to Pakistan. Potential sales to India are also being considered. These potential sales have political, military, and defense industrial base implications for the United States and the South Asia region. H.R. 1553 and S. 12 would impose nonproliferation conditions on these sales.
Date: May 19, 2005
Creator: Bolkcom, Christopher; Grimmett, Richard F. & Kronstadt, K. Alan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty: Pros and Cons

Description: The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) would ban all nuclear explosions. President Clinton signed it in 1996 and transmitted it to the Senate in 1997. The Senate rejected it in 1999. To enter into force, 44 named nations, including the United States, must ratify the treaty. The Bush Administration opposes ratification but has maintained a moratorium on nuclear testing begun in 1992. This report presents pros and cons of key arguments: the treaty’s implications for nuclear nonproliferation, fo… more
Date: June 28, 2005
Creator: Medalia, Jonathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1997-2004

Description: This report is prepared annually to provide unclassified quantitative data on conventional arms transfers to developing nations by the United States and foreign countries for the preceding eight calendar years. Some general data are provided on worldwide conventional arms transfers, but the principal focus is the level of arms transfers by major weapons suppliers to nations in the developing world. The data in the report illustrate how global patterns of conventional arms transfers have changed… more
Date: August 29, 2005
Creator: Grimmett, Richard F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Conventional Warheads for Long-Range Ballistic Missiles: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of the Administration’s rationale for the possible deployment of conventional warheads on long-range ballistic missiles. It then reviews the Air Force and Navy efforts to develop these systems. It summarizes congressional reaction to these proposals, then provides a more detailed account of the issues raised by these concepts and programs.
Date: September 6, 2005
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cruise Missile Defense

Description: Congress has expressed interest in cruise missile defense for years. Cruise missiles (CMs) are essentially unmanned attack aircraft — vehicles composed of an airframe, propulsion system, guidance system, and weapons payload. The Department of Defense is pursuing several initiatives that seek to improve capabilities against an unpredictable cruise missile threat. These initiatives compete for funding and congressional attention.
Date: May 2, 2005
Creator: Hichkad, Ravi R. & Bolkcom, Christopher
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cruise Missile Proliferation

Description: Upon the submission of this report, about 75 countries possessed cruise missiles. Many experts predict that anti — ship and land attack cruise missile proliferation will increase in terms of both scope and technological sophistication.
Date: July 28, 2005
Creator: Feickert, Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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