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Missile Defense

Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a "Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense initiatives more successful? Can such an application of science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable, necessary or impossible?

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wrcooper - 12:23pm Dec 17, 2002 EST (# 6783 of 6788)

WITHDREW FROM ABM TREATY

In a first step toward setting up a missile defense umbrella, the United States in June withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty that banned such systems.

The decision to begin deploying a national missile defense, which has been criticized by Russia and China, follows North Korea's announcement this month that it will proceed with a controversial program to develop nuclear weapons.

The Fort Greeley site would allow the U.S. military to try and intercept any attack by long-range missiles being developed by the North.

The initial deployment would provide the United States -- which has been examining several ways to shoot down medium- and long-range missiles in flight -- with a limited defense against such attack.

In London, British officials said they had received a written request from the United States concerning its planned missile defense shield but had not yet responded.

Washington wants Britain to upgrade an early warning radar system at Fylingdales in northern England to enhance the program to protect both the United States and allies from attack.

Bush had wanted to put an Alaska-based ``test bed'' initially with five missile silos -- and rudimentary operational capabilities against real attack -- in place by October 2004.

The test bed was the first leg of a planned layered shield against missile attack. Other Pentagon projects involve overlapping systems that could be based at sea, in space and aboard laser-firing modified 747 aircraft.

For each of the past two fiscal years alone, Bush requested and the U.S. Congress approved $7.8 billion in research, development and testing funds.

commondata - 12:25pm Dec 17, 2002 EST (# 6784 of 6788)

The United States today officially requested the use of a British radar station as part of its controversial new missile defence system.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,11816,861702,00.html

wrcooper - 12:44pm Dec 17, 2002 EST (# 6785 of 6788)

Why would the U.S. decide to deploy a system that has not proven itself in tests to be ready for deployment? This makes no sense to me.

wrcooper - 12:51pm Dec 17, 2002 EST (# 6786 of 6788)

Bush sets missile defense system in motion First interceptors to be deployed by 2004

From John King CNN Senior White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON (CNN) --President Bush has decided to deploy a limited system designed to protect the United States against a ballistic missile attack, with the first phase of the controversial system scheduled to be deployed within two years, senior administration officials tell CNN.

Bush planned a written statement Tuesday announcing his decision, and Pentagon officials were to address the scope of the plan and its technological capabilities later in the day. Great Britain said it has been asked by the United States to upgrade some early warning radar system.

Bush made missile defense a key promise of his 2000 campaign, and early in his administration was sharply criticized by many Democrats; Russia, China and several European allies for pushing to withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972 so he could pursue the program.

But ultimately, an accord was reached with Russia on the ABM treaty, and the international criticism quieted considerably, although China still is critical. Withdrawing from the ABM was a critical step because the treaty specifically prohibited testing and deployment of missile-defense systems. 'Star Wars' defense

The goal of a missile defense shield dates back to the Reagan administration, where the program was labeled by some as "Star Wars" and at times involved talk of space-based systems.

Bush has settled, at least for now, on a more limited system that includes deployment of ground-based interceptor missiles -- beginning at Fort Greeley, Alaska. Preliminary work on that site began earlier in the administration, and the officials say the plan to be announced by Bush calls for the first battery of interceptors to be deployed by 2004, with an additional battery to be in place within a year or two of that.

Those interceptors are designed to destroy any long-range missiles fired at the United States, or conceivably at a U.S. ally.

A system designed to destroy short-range and medium-range missiles would be deployed as well aboard Aegis class Navy ships. Aegis is an advanced radar and battle management system.

China has been critical of any deployment of U.S. warships in Asia with missile-defense capabilities. It has been even more critical of discussion in the United States about selling Aegis class warships to Taiwan and possibly including Taiwan in a missile defense program.

The United States has not approved such a sale to Taiwan, but has said it would consider it down the road depending on the political and military situation.

lunarchick - 12:52pm Dec 17, 2002 EST (# 6787 of 6788)

'official request' #6784

Interesting concept!

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