Prospect of Soviet lasers on space base its divulged

March 4, 1982

The Pentagon's chief research director expects the Soviets to have operational by 1990 an orbital space complex that is capable of launching laser beam attacks on ground, sea, and air targets. Secret testimony to the House Armed Services Committee by Richard DeLauer, defense undersecretary for research and engineering, was apparently inadvertently repeated by a committee member, Rep. Ken Kramer (R) of Colorado, at a public committee session last week, according to the Washington Post.