At the U.S. Navy’s Virginia testing grounds for its most sophisticated air and ballistic missile defense radar systems, a unique six-story building sits largely vacant, after more than a billion dollars was invested in the program behind its purpose.

 

For about two decades, the Navy worked on developing state-of-the-art radar technology that would allow a new class of destroyers (Zumwalt) to form the backbone of the service’s air and missile defense radar future.

 

But budget cuts and policy changes forced the Navy to cut back the destroyer program, and with that, went resources for the new radar system. Consequently, the six-story testing center on Wallops Island in Virginia now has only a handful of people in it, instead of the 45 full-time engineers and 60 visitors it was built to accommodate.

 

The Navy has tried to claim that only $19 million was invested in the structure. But Aviation Week wrote that former government officials estimated more than $1 billion was spent “to build, outfit and operate the center through its first year.”

 

As for the ships that are supposed to be equipped with the now scuttled radar program, the Zumwalt destroyers are currently carrying a total price tag of $20 billion.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

U.S. Navy Radar Testing Center Goes Dark (by Michael Fabey, Aviation Week)