U.S. ELEVATES BMDO TO FULL AGENCY

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The Bush administration has expanded the authority ofits missile defense organization that could enable the United States toexpand cooperation with other countries. The Defense Department has changed the status of the Ballistic MissileDefense Organization to that of a agency. The BMDO has been renamed MissileDefense Agency and would now be responsible for developing and fieldingdefenses against a full range of missile threats.