Strategic Defense Initiative Overview

I would like to begin by discussing why the nation needs the Strategic Defense Initiative SDI by describing the central purpose of SDI and outlining the threat and modernization of the Soviet offensive nuclear ballistic missile arsenal and the proliferation of ballistic missile capabilities to Third World and other nations. I will then discuss the scope of the SDI effort, the evolving strategic defense system architectures and theater defense, our compliancy with the ABM Treaty, technology spinoffs resulting from SDI research and development and the cost and cost reduction efforts associated with the SDI program.