European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 19, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes thursday december 19, 1985 Bonn to negotiate with . Over ski Rolel a a did while the program carries in Bonn a Chancellor Helmut Kohl s Cabinet agreed to begin negotiations with the United sulcs for a role in the Star wars space based missile de sense research project a government statement said. The Cabinet in a meeting on wednes Day assigned icon mics minister Martin bang Mann to Lead the negotiations with Washington starting next month. The statement stressed that the govern ment will not subsidies research on the strategic defense initiative or ski. Instead he government would Only seek to protect the rights of West German firms that participate in the program by negotiating regulations governing patents technology transfers the sharing of Classi fied information and other matters the statement said. The government wants to improve the position of the German research institutes and firms that want to participate As con tractors in the ski research program the Cabinet said. Britain has already said it will join the program but the French have criticized the Cabinet decision also stressed the importance of discussing the strategic arms control and political consequences of ski research within the nato Alliance. Bonn government sources said West Ger Many would seek a formal discussion within nato next year about the pro Gram s implications. Kohl had announced tuesday even be fore the Cabinet decision that Banger Nann would Lead the West German negotiating team. The government press office said Kohl made the appointment Early because he expected the Cabinet would make a Clear decision without major  the Cabinet meeting was scheduled after months of Public squabbling Over whether West Germany should take Partin the Reagan administration s plan to develop space weapons to defend against incoming nuclear  Germany s opposition social democrats and greens categorically reject ski on the grounds it could dangerously intensify the .-soviet arms  minister Hans Dietrich gun Schur a Liberal free Democrat in Kohl s coalition government has voiced Strong doubts about the program. But he indicated in a newspaper interview earlier this month that his party and Kohl s conserva Tive Christian democrats had reached a Compromise on the  is chairman of the a acc democrats the Junior partner in the governing coalition. The Reagan administration has invited All its nato allies to take part in the 26 billion program but Only Britain has accepted so far. Kohl s government has said previously that West German companies Are free to join Star wars related research on an individual basis but no companies have done  negotiations with washing ton could make participation More attractive for West Germany s private sector which boasts several High technology , in a radio interview following his press office s statement Kohl said Security policy and not technological grounds will be the determining Factor in a German commitment to a Star wars role. He said while the program carries important technological implications that we must consider the . Government had conceived ski because it was a mat Ter of security.". Guns Char and other critics in. Bonn have Sucic std that West Germany carefully developed ties with East Ger Many and other soviet bloc countries could suffer if the government signs an agreement to take part in  week guns Char called on the nato Alliance to undertake a comprehensive study of the research program s potential Impact on East West relations. West Germany militarily and economically the most important american ally in Europe has been under steady pressure from the soviet bloc not to enter the .  Issue also has strained the usually warm relations Between West German and France which opposes ski. French defense minister Paul Quiles was quoted tuesday in the newspaper la Monde As saying that the program is not credible and could upset current strategic concepts. Signal unit has ringing Praise Tor French Field phone network by Mike Heronemus staff writer Heilbronn Germany three weeks before the army announced selection of a tactical communications system As its new Field phone network members of the 26th signal in were convinced the French had a Good thing. The 42nd regt do transmissions from Jastatt France demonstrated its re scan Intro grate transmission autom Atique Rita Telephone equipment for the americans oct. 14. In Early november he army announced its selection of a French american team of contractors to Supply multiple subscriber equipment use similar to Rita. Thomson Csc the French partner of the use development team makes the Rita system. Rita is like having your own Bell Telephone company Laid in it. Acini Johnson assistant operations officer at the 26th in. The system has push Button radiotelephone linked to Battlefield relay stations that can receive signals from any number of callers Johnson said. The relay stations Send the Calls to other relay stations or to any place within a 37,500-Square Kilometre area. It s similar to the Mobile Telephone system generals use in their cars but it will be tactical said maj. Thomas o. Thulin 26th in operations officer. For their demonstration the 42nd regt brought enough equipment to support a corps in Battle. You have to remember that a French corps is about the size of a us. Division said it. Col. Leonard Mal Donado. 26th in commander. It took the French about 45 minutes o set up to receive the first Call. Army standards for the current switching system used by the 26th in to support Vii corps units Call for set up within four hours. But 1st it. Richard a. Solchenberge assistant operations officer said it might Lake two hours to set up the Tri tac system during Battle. When use comes to 26th in and no one yet knows when that will be it won t Send Tri tac o he scrap Heap. Maldonado said Tri tac will be moved to rear areas for support of Headquarters elements needing the extensive switching capability the system offers but not vitally concerned with mobility. Mobility is a big advantage of the use system which is designed to be carried in shelters on i 14-ton  is hauled on 5-ton trucks. " Ive tons arc too big to move to the front said sgt. Thomas g. Brown a switching system repairman. Johnson also said the Rita system is More compact takes less people to run is sophisticated but not Complex to run and can have More people on the network than the current system of the 26th in. The French system can be operational to much faster than Tri tac in part because the French use machines resembling air hammers to put in ground Roda and Hydraulic antennas instead of manually erecting towers. Thulin said the use concept will allow the battalion to spread More communications nodes throughout the Battlefield to handle Calls. As fighting elements move from place to place they will be Able to tie into the closest switching Node instead of waiting for a communications relay team to catch up with them and set up operations he said. The greatest thing about Rita is we won t have to Chase the shooters around the Battlefield sol Chenburg or said. That Means fast moving fighting elements will have constant communications to any location Solchenberge said. Calls can go from a subscriber to a switch to another subscriber or to another switch with automatic rerouting and no break in communications Johnson said. Ramstein begins conversion to f-16s by Dick Hodgson Kauers Autera Bureau Ramstein a the 86th tac fighter Wing be gins its conversion from f-4 phantoms to f-16 fighting Falcon aircraft saturday base officials said. The first contingent of the c and d Model f-l6s willbe officially accepted into the Wing in ceremonies begin Ning at 2 . On Ramstein s flight line base spokesman maj. James Dilda said. The Wing it expected to be completely equipped with the new fighter aircraft by late next year he said. It. Col. Tom Fleming will assume command of the si2th tac fighter so the unit receiving the Tim of the new aircraft during the ceremonies Dilda said. Ramstein is the first base to get the c and d models which feature improved electronic guidance and weapons delivery systems. Dilda said. Hahn a and Torreon a. Spain have a and b Model f-l6s. Brig. Gen. Cecil w. Powell 316th air div commander said the official beginning of the conversion coincides with the return of the first f-16-qualified pilots and maintenance workers from stateside training programs. Saturday Marks the official beginning he said. But we be been working this project for a Long time. We re in the process of building a new avionics facility and refurbishing the engine shop to handle the new  in addition to the tactical advantages of the new air Craft the f-16 is much quieter than the f-4, officials Laid. They anticipate a substantial decrease in noise complaints As the conversion progresses. Gift shoppers get present of renovated Exchange for Yule by Joe Mapother Bonner Haven Bureau Hess Isch Oldendorf As Germany Christmas shoppers from the 600th combat support so wednesday swarmed into a newly renovated base Exchange that opened after a four month improvement program. Nearly $100,000 was spent to redo the Interior of the 3.875 Square foot facility. Although the size remains about the same 25 percent More goods can be displayed because the space can be used More efficiently said Exchange manager Thomas Dunn. Another s22.000 Worth of private contracts were awarded to upgrade concessions near the Exchange said . Wagner chief Engineer for the Span Dahlem exchanges. The class i store was moved out of the basement of the Exchange allowing that area to be used for storage. An elevator was added to Speed re stocking of shelves Wagner said. Improvements to the Exchange include an acoustically designed stereo department and new freezers for the Quick shop food area Wagner said capt. Demetrice Lyles base consumer advocate Laid the renovated facility brought a Welcome end to shop Ping in a trailer. Shoppers nicked the Exchange wednesday moment after the official opening by army Brig. Gen. E.3. Leedy commander of the army air Force Exchange service. Air Force Captain convicted of committing morals offences Span Dahlem a Germany is an air Force Captain has been found guilty of fraternizing with an enlisted woman and sodomy with a Fen ale bal spokesman said. Capt. Kelley elder also was found guilty in the general court martial of mailing obscene materials said mute sgt. Jim Miller. The court sentenced elder to dismissal from the Mili tary and fined him $5,000. Elder also was sentenced to serve three months in jail at hard labor. Punishment has been deferred until the convening authority the 17th air Force commander can review therase and the sentence said it. Col. Charles f. Teschner of the base Legal office. Elder ii on duty at Lowry fab colo., pending the review. He had been assigned to the 52nd combat support group at Span Dahlem a. Corrections in the recipe for Hamm Eule Barbarossa leg of Lamb Barbarossa that appeared on Page 15 wednesday the oven temperature was incorrect. The recipe should have read place in a 400 degree f  the Ovea the should be set to the highest level possible and when that temperature it reached turned off