Pentagon asks skeptical Congress to ease Russia rocket ban

The Pentagon has said it would face “significant challenges” to accessing space if Congress does not ease restrictions on the use of Russian rocket engines, according to a report.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper sent a letter to senior lawmakers last month, demanding the repeal of a ban on Russian rocket engines, The Washington Times reported on Monday.

The military leaders said the restrictions should be relaxed so that United Launch Alliance — a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin — could purchase 14 RD-180 Russian engines to power Lockheed’s Atlas V rocket.

However, Congressional leaders have accused the military of hampering their efforts to eradicate US independence on foreign rocket engines.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, a Republican from California who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, said the Pentagon’s views are misguided.

“I think the Pentagon is trying to create a bit of fear in the short term with the idea that they can pile up Russian motors that we’ll be eventually forced to use, Hunter told The Times.

Senators are currently considering amendments to the 2016 version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would maintain the current ban on Russian rocket engines.

Sen. Joni Ernst, a freshman Republican from Iowa, has introduced provisions to the annual military spending bill requiring the White House to keep the ban in place until it can show that Russia is no longer “violating the territorial integrity” of Ukraine, or supporting pro-Russia forces in the east.

Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said last month the ban was designed to prevent “over $300 million of precious US defense resources from subsidizing [President] Vladimir Putin and the Russian military industrial base.”

Carter and Clapper argued in their letter that transitioning from Russian engines into domestic ones may be more difficult than it seems.

HRJ/HRJ

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk