The German and Italian governments oppose a new Defense Department plan to bring the Medium Extended Air Defense System to a close earlier than agreed to last October, according to a letter sent to the Pentagon's top acquisition official. Signed by national armaments directors Detlef Selhausen and Gen. Claudio Debertolis, the letter responds to a Jan. 17 missive from acting defense acquisition executive Frank Kendall, which outlined a proposal to cancel MEADS after the current fiscal year. Kendall cited the...