Charting a Path for U.S. Missile Defenses: Technical and Policy Issues"As the time approaches for what could well be President Clinton's decision to deploy a national missile defense, this report reviews where the current program and policies are taking the nation. It is as important to avoid a premature deployment that would embarrass proponents as it is to move expeditiously to a useful defense."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Where Are We on Missile Defense? | 6 |
Can US Missile Defense Programs Meet the Emerging Threat? | 8 |
Will the Technologies Work? | 9 |
Will the Proposed NMD Provide an Adequate Defense? | 10 |
Can a Viable Defense Be Created under Present ABMT and Compliance Standards? | 13 |
What Should Be Done? | 15 |
Dealing with the ABM Treaty | 18 |
Additional Measures for Countering the Ballistic Missile Threat | 20 |
Conclusions | 22 |
Recommendations | 23 |
About the Author | |
Common terms and phrases
100 interceptors ability ABM Treaty adequate adversaries Alaska allies Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty Ballistic Missile Defense ballistic missile threat BMDO C1 architecture capable of addressing Clinton administration Compliance Standards countermeasures CSIS current plan decision to deploy defeat deployment decision deployment plans develop and test development program discrimination capability effort emerging threat employ sensors evolving threat flight test freedom to develop funding incoming warhead initial deployments Iran January January 17 Larry Welch limited NMD long-range ballistic missile meet ment missile defense programs Missile Defense System missile launch national missile defense NMD capability NMD deployment NMD program NMD system North Korea posed potential problem proposed NMD architecture pursued robust Russia SBIRS Low schedule secretary of defense shorter-range sophisticated space-based sensors successful intercepts Taepo-dong technical test failures test program theater ballistic missiles TMD and NMD Treaty U.S. forces U.S. missile defense United States requires upgraded WMD proliferation