F-15 ASAT - The Invitation to Struggle Accepted.

摘要

The debate over the F-15 launched anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon demonstrated the process of policy evolution founded on conflict between the President and Congress. The argument over testing the ASAT epitomized the basic disagreement over arms control between a strong executive and a resurgent Congress; both eager to reestablish their own conception of the appropriate share of power for their respective branches. President Reagan entered office in 1981 with what he considered was a mandate to reestablish US power through an invigorated executive branch. His approach to arms control, therefore, was to negotiate only after a position of strength was attained. That position of strength had not been achieved in the area of space control since the Soviets had an operational ASAT while the US version was still in development. Many members of Congress, on the other hand, were concerned about the possibilities of another arms race similar to the competition that resulted after the US introduction of multiple warhead (MIRV) missiles. This basic conflict formed the philosophical foundation for the debate over the F-15 ASAT. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate how conflict between the President and the Congress modified the development and testing of the F-15 ASAT. Key players in the struggle were influenced throughout the process by internal procedures, parallel issues, and some significant external inputs.