Missiles for Asia The Need for Operational Analysis of U.S. Theater Ballistic Missiles in the Pacific

Abstract

The U.S. Department of State concluded in 2014 that Russia is in violation of its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, raising doubts about the treatys durability and questions about how the United States should respond. At the moment, U.S. policy remains committed to the treatyand seeks to encourage Russia to return to compliance by eliminating prohibited systems. The process of attempting to revive the treaty could take several years. Russia could continue denying that it violated the treaty or simply refuse to comply with it, in which case U.S. policy would have to adjust. In the meantime, the U.S. Army can start a rigorous operational analysis of the potential military value that conventional land-based theater ballistic missiles (TBMs) could add to the U.S. portfolio of strike capabilities. In particular, the U.S. Army should analyze the potential military value of TBMs in the Pacific and whether they might plausibly help the U.S. offset Chinas military modernization.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2016
Accession Number
AD1014095

Entities

People

  • Jacob L. Heim

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Defense
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Arms Control
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Defense Systems
  • Fixed Wing Aircraft
  • Geography
  • Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles
  • Military Organizations
  • Prompt Global Strike
  • Standoff Missiles
  • Theater Ballistic Missiles
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Strategic Security Studies