January 14, 1980

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Japan’s Growing Strategic Role

Public Attitude Shift Spurs Major Military Improvement

Tokyo — Japan is involved in a major military improvement program that will combine in the 1980s with the country’s industrial might to provide a new leadership role in Asia. A significant shift has taken place here in the past 18 months in the public attitude toward increasing the nation’s military capability.

By Clarence A. Robinson18 min

Missile Engineering

Army Limits Roland Production System

Seattle—Production of the Roland shortrange air defense system in the U. S. will be held to low rates for at least two years to enable the U. S. Army to validate, within a reasonable cost/time framework, a number of planned changes intended to improve reliability and adapt the European-designed system to U. S. manufacturing techniques.

By Benjamin M. Elson12 min

Mideast Crisis

U. S. Surveys Mideast Support Facilities

Washington —Critical U. S. interest in three nations situated to the southwest of the Persian Gulf—Oman, Somalia and Kenya—is related directly to concern about supporting airlift and sealift necessary to maintain a U. S. presence. Searching for access to that oil-rich area, a joint State Dept./Defens Dept, team has returned with messages favorable enough to be followed up I by the expected dispatch of technical teams to those countries later this month.

By David R. Griffiths9 min

Air Transport

Aeritalia Pushes for Commuter Decision

Naples—Italy’s Aeritalia is concentrating design and engineering efforts on a multipurpose light turboprop aircraft with a 3.5-ton payload or 30 passengers for shorthaul high-density routes in a calculated plan to put the aircraft in use before competition stiffens in the mid-1980s.

By Eugene Kozicharow6 min

Space Technology

Extensive Design Changes Mark Soyuz T

Washington —Comprehensive redesign of Soyuz spacecraft propulsion, electrical, attitude control and avionics systems under test on Soyuz T are expected to make the spacecraft a safer, more efficient manned transport providing additional capabilities to the Russian space station program.

By Craig Covault5 min

Mideast Crisis

Guides to Clear Way for Export Fighter

Washington—Carter Administration this week will issue five basic guidelines that open the way formally for submission of industry proposals for development and production of a new intermediate international fighter (FX). It would be the follow-on to the Northrop F-5 series.

By Katherine Johnsen5 min

Editorial

Reprise for the Rising Sun

U. S. military and diplomatic policymakers have been riveting much of their attention on the Soviet threat to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations, the Middle East and Africa over most of the last decade in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.

By William H. Gregory5 min

January 71980

January 211980

January 14, 1980

January 14, 1980