No Warranty

Can weapons be guaranteed?

The Pentagon touted the sleek, speedy M-1 Abrams tank as a revolutionary superweapon when it was put into production in November 1981. There was only one problem: the tank's engine, built by the Avco Corp.'s Lycoming division, had a tendency to jam.

Such nightmares inspired North Dakota Republican Senator Mark Andrews to propose, and Congress to pass, a provision that contractors include written warranties on weapons systems. Argued Andrews: "If the public can expect--and get--warranties on its purchases, from TV sets to washing machines to air conditioners, why not when we buy machinery to protect our freedom?"

Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger contended that warranties would increase the price of military hardware. But once the law was passed, he reassured lawmakers, "We are putting it into effect." What Weinberger did not say was that the Pentagon was preparing a sneak attack. Buried in the appendix of the four-volume fiscal 1985 budget is a provision that would kill the requirement. Warranties may be good in theory, one Pentagon spokesman said last week, but they should be left to the discretion of the Pentagon. Senator Andrews indicated that he would wage a defensive action: "The only way we are going to get action out of the Defense Department is to ensure there is a warranty requirement with teeth."