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- GRAPEVINE, Page 30DISARMAMENT CAN CUT BOTH WAYS
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- By JANICE CASTRO/Reported by Sidney Urquhart
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- As the Soviets scale back their arms as well, they've
- come up with a startling idea on how to beat nuclear swords
- into plowshares while earning some desperately needed hard
- currency. Commerce Department officials say a Soviet firm called
- NPO Energiya wants to convert nuclear-missile-bearing submarines
- into floating launching pads for satellites. The company, which
- developed booster rockets for the Soviet space shuttle, explains
- that once the warheads are removed, the sub-borne ballistic
- missiles can be used to carry commercial payloads into space.
- On the other hand, will all those unemployed Soviet nuclear
- experts be put to peaceful use? Despots may be yearning for
- their advice. Arms-control experts like Geoffrey Kemp are
- worried that Soviet scientists could be wooed by the highest
- bidders. Says he: "What if they're offered $100,000 for six
- months in the sun?"
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