European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 14, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday july 14, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 7 Welch orders faster fix of b-1 problems Washington a air Force chief of staff Gen. Larry d. Welch while defending the b-1 bomber against renewed congressional criticism has Given his staff 30 Days to find a faster Way to Correct an acknowledged deficiency in the plane s defensive electronics. In a Telephone interview Welch said rep. Les Aspin chairman of the House armed services com Mittee was absolutely wrong in charging that new b 1 bombers could not penetrate soviet defences. But he acknowledged that there have been problems in developing the bomber s defensive electronics which Are intended to Jam enemy aircraft and missile radars. These problems he said were frustrating and irritating and would require significant work before the system would meet requirements. But he asserted that to translate that deficiency into serious doubts about the ability of this air plane to penetrate enemy defences is  asked tuesday about Welch s comments Aspin d wis., reaffirmed his criticism of the b-1. There is no question that if you run these things against soviet anti air defences you d have a serious shortfall in capability he said. He contended the air plane will never do As it was advertised and said he doubted Congress would have approved the b-1 program if we knew it did t have workable electronic  the running dispute Between Aspin and the air Force Over the b-1 bomber was fuelled last week by a memo from Aspin to members of two subcommittee sin which he reported on an air Force briefing for staff aides. Aspin who did not attend the briefing said the air Force had acknowledged that problems in the defensive electronics apparatus will prevent the b-1electronic countermeasures from Ever achieving full operational  asked whether Aspin was Correct in saying the bomber could not slip through soviet defences Welch replied that s absolutely  Secretary of defense Frank c. Carlucci in testimony before the Senate armed services committee sup ported Welch saying there is clearly a weakness i electronic countermeasures but that weakness is not sufficient to say the b-1 cannot carry out its  at Issue is a system intended to simultaneously detect and Jam radar signals from fighter aircraft ground stations and missiles fired from the ground or aircraft. While much about the system is secret Welch said i could detect radar signals from the most threatening of soviet aircraft or anti aircraft missile Sites. But the ability of the system to handle the entire spectrum of threats simultaneously was deficient he said. He said the b-1 would be Able to get past most anti aircraft defences because of its High Speed at Low Altitude the Small Blip it creates on enemy radar screens and its ability to destroy surface to air missile Sites with its own missiles. He said the b-1 was highly Maneu Merable and also said a navigational device that enables the bomber to follow terrain at Low level once defective now works  officers at the strategic air come Headquarters i Omaha neb., said b-1 bombers were on Alert mean ing they were loaded with nuclear weapons and sitting on runways with supporting Aerial tankers at two bases. Big marijuana shipment originated in Vietnam Seattle a vietnamese sol Diers helped Load 72 tons of marijuana onto a ship off Danang Vietnam a coast guard officer said in a hearing for18 men arrested in what officials Call the largest West coast maritime drug bust. The coast guard Cutter Boutwell seize the panamanian registered encounter Bay on june 30 when it was 500 Miles off the Washington coast. Coast guard officials last week said the vessel was boarded be cause it looked  the hearing is to determine whether there was enough evidence to prosecute the 18 Crew members of the ship who could face prison terms of several years to life. Coast guard it. Thomas Rogers Testi fied tuesday that the coast guard had prior information that about 72 tons of High Grade thai marijuana was loaded off Danang. Rogers the Law enforcement office aboard the Boutwell said he did t know whether the cargo was already aboard when the Crew got on the ship. Asked by defense lawyer Peter Mai what he knew about who loaded the ship Rogers said the Only additional information i can recall is that the Vietnam Ese army was  he did not elaborate. I am shocked at the revelation Mair said. Assistant . Attorney Jerry Diskin refused to comment after the hearing. . Drug enforcement administration officials in Bangkok Thailand say there have been reports of merchant ves Sels taking on drugs in Danang for ship ment to International markets. In Addi Tion there have been unconfirmed reports that impoverished Vietnam has been growing opium to pay foreign debts. Defense lawyers for the crewmen arrested on felony charges of intent to Dis tribute marijuana have tried to prove the seizure which the coast guard has called the largest maritime drug bust off the West coast was illegal and the Crew s constitutional rights were Vio lated. Rogers testified he did t know whether documentation was found on Board that would clarify when and where Var ious Crew members boarded. Defense lawyers argued that the .government can t prove that the Crew knew what was aboard the encounter Bay and that there was t probable cause to Stop the ship. Rogers testified he believed the Crew members were told their rights but did know whether the rights probably read in English were understood by the Crew men from Southeast Asia. The encounter Bay Crew members Are three americans one from England one from new zealand and 13 from Indonesia Thailand and Singapore. Howard Weitzman of los Angeles representing Crew member Samuel j. Colflesh 31, of Philadelphia and othe defense lawyers have questioned whether the coast guard had the authority to fir upon Board search and seize the 180 foot converted Oil Rig Supply ship in International Waters. . Magistrate John Weinberg  allow questions about the encounter Bay s destination saying it was irrelevant to the proceeding. Attorney John Muenster representing Terrance Albert Nolan 36, of the unite states claimed the ship s destination was relevant since part of the charge against the Crew require that the govern ment prove the ship had either left or was approaching a . Port or was in". Customs territory a term that neither he nor Rogers could define. Weinberg denied a request by defens lawyers for copies of All coast guard communications leading to the encounter Bay s seizure saying the question of jurisdiction on the nigh seas should be addressed at later he Annas. Counterfeit half million a photo bavarian and Swiss police discovered counterfeit american Bills Worth More than $500,000, leading to the arrest of a 53-year-old suspect at Lindau West Germany tuesday. The Bills top were wrapped above in old newspapers and plastic shopping bags were found in the suspect s car. 63-year-o/d Grandfather hits $22 million . Lottery 2 feared dead in collision Laughlin Nev. A a ferry boat for gamblers and Casino workers collided with a cruise boat and capsized on the Colorado River near Las vegas leaving two people believed dead and several others including a 9-year-old boy missing authorities said Early wednesday. The tuesday night collision spilled be tween 20 and 30 people into the water authorities said. Authorities said the boat capsized off Bullhead City Ariz. Eighteen people were recovered fro the water and taken to Bullhead City Community Hospital for treatment. The boat belonged to the Colora Dobelle a hotel Casino in this tiny gaming resort South of Las vegas according Tolas vegas metro police spokesman Rob Ert Nixon. Bullhead City assistant fire chief Bill Wagner said divers from his department and the Laughlin fire department began searching the River immediately and a state department of Public safety Heli copter was called to help in the search. New York up a 63-year-old Grandfather who was getting ready to re tire from his Job As a janitor in Spanish Harlem ., tuesday became the sixth richest lottery Champion in North America the Winner of a $22 million new York state Jackpot. You know what i did after i found out i went out and got drunk three times in one Day Candido Ortiz 63, said with a Grin As a dozen family Mem Bers from three generations less than half of the Ortiz clan crowded around. Ill have to buy one building for my family. I be got a big family and every one can have an apartment. Of course they la have to take care of the place said Ortiz who Learned a thing or two about building maintenance in 23 years on the Job at a 20-Story apartment build ing in Spanish Harlem. For my grandchildren and my sons i want the Best Ortiz said of his fou children and five grandchildren most of whom still live near him in three apart ments in a crowded Manhattan ten ement. If any of them want to go Back to school and go to College anything like that now they can go. If they want to go to any place i la let them  Ortiz was the Only person to match Al six numbers 6, 11, 17, 19, 24 and 48 in the july 6 new York state lotto 54 drawing winning the $22 million Jackpot and becoming the second richest new York Winner since the state lottery began in 1976. Ortiz said he still has not handed in his resignation but was told that he did not need to show up for work. He had planned to retire in two years at age 65, but said he probably won t work much longer. A Veteran of world War ii and the korean War Ortiz stood ramrod straight at a Manhattan news conference with his childhood sweetheart and wife of More than 40 years 62-year-old Asuncion at his Side