JCS Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen Endorses Aegis Combat System

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Riki Ellison, Chairman and
President of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA),
www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org, explained that the recent commissioning of the
USS Wayne E. Meyer, (DDG108) is a tribute to a great naval officer responsible
for the development of the Aegis Combat System, an integral part of the
missile defense system. He also noted the endorsement of the system by JCS
Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen. Ellison released the following remarks to the
membership of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance:

"The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen and the Chief
of the Naval Operations, Admiral Gary Roughead commissioned the USS Wayne E.
Meyer, DDG 108 named after the recently departed Admiral Wayne Meyer, who was
known as the 'Father' of the Aegis Combat System in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
this past week. "

"Admiral Wayne Meyer, a fierce warrior and advocate of the Aegis Combat
System, started the U.S. Navy in three major areas: Air Defense of the Ship,
Air Defense of the Fleet and integration of Ballistic Missile Defense for the
U.S. Navy. Admiral Myer in the mid 1960's oversaw a shoot down of a ballistic
missile warhead from a ship ahead of its time and fought the Navy
establishment to prove, develop, deploy and evolve the Aegis Combat System to
become what it is today."

"Though Aegis was originally conceived as a match for a blue-water Soviet foe,
it was an Aegis ship that patrolled at the ready off the coast of North Korea
a couple of months ago. It was an Aegis ship that shot down the failed
satellite last year. It was an Aegis ship that supplied the first
humanitarian relief during last summer's crisis in Georgia. And they are and
will be Aegis ships that provide area air defense for our expeditionary and
carrier strike groups in the Arabian Sea, the Gulf or anywhere in the world."

"The Aegis Combat System is on U.S. and Japanese destroyers and cruisers
deployed today in the waters off of the Korean Peninsula and can detect, track
and destroy North Korean missiles with high confidence, including the 5
short-range missiles (KN-O2) that were launched by mobile launchers in North
Korea this past Monday. It is the Aegis Combat System that is the primary
defense for U.S. deployed forces in East Asia and it is the most significant
protector of Japan and South Korea from North Korea ballistic missiles. These
populations of East Asia are understandably concerned and feel threatened as
this year alone, North Korea has fired 20 ballistic missiles and tested a
nuclear weapon over a period of 7 months, from April to October in 2009."

"It is the Aegis Combat System that is the primary system of our nation's new
missile defense plan laid out by President Obama and Secretary of Defense
Robert Gates on September 16th for European and Allied Defense as well as our
forward-based forces. The President and the United States Congress will spend
close to $9.3 billion dollars next year on missile defense, with a good
portion focused on the Aegis Combat System, its SM-3 interceptors and its
future evolvement to 'Aegis Ashore.'"

"We at MDAA aggressively support and endorse the Aegis System that is
advocated by the President, Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff and look forward to deploying more Aegis capable ships and
SM-3 interceptors to make our nation and our world a safer place. "

Ellison closed his remarks by saying "God Bless this Ship, God Bless the US
Navy and God Bless Admiral Wayne E. Myer."

Riki Ellison is available for on-the-record interviews. Call 602 885-1955 to
arrange.

Mike Terrill, 602-885-1955

SOURCE Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance

Mike Terrill of MDAA, +1-602-885-1955