This is kind of a bizarre statement to make by the trustee. He makes it sound like we spent all that money purposely to deceive the Russian. Probably the politicians were so mired in their own little back stabbing games in congress, everything was obsolete by the time they passed the bills to commence construction of projects. Plenty of pork in wars. Even wars that didn't happen. So, we were happy to build a horrendous expensive obsolete weapon system at the time? 2 years is not a lot of time to go obsolete without knowing that it was possible. What politicians were connected to the constructions companies that got rich during that time.
The Larsen sites were only in use for a short time. They became operational in April 1962 and were deactivated in June 1965. Technology changed so quickly that by the time they were constructed, newer improved missiles already were being designed.
The missiles were 98 feet tall and 10 feet in diameter. Each cost $1.5 million to build. They were fueled by liquid oxygen and kerosene and were capable of traveling 620 miles above the Earth at speeds up to 15,000 miles per hour.
The Soviets duplicated the weaponry, said Lanni Wright, founding trustee of the National Aerospace Trust.
"By the time they caught up with us, we were far ahead. ... The Russians didn't realize they'd been set up. They wasted all that money on a horrendous, expensive, useless weapons system," he said.
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