Legal Implications of United States Ballistic Missile Defense Systems.

Abstract

Following the extensive use of ballistic missiles in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, there has been a renewed emphasis within the United States to develop and deploy anti-ballistic missile defenses.This thesis examines whether the current ballistic missile defense programs of the United States comply with the limitations imposed by the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty between the Soviet Union and the United States. The thesis begins with a review of the development of ballistic missiles and the systems designed to defend against them. Next an analysis of the ABM Treaty is offered, including its differing interpretations. The Treaty's legal restrictions are then applied to current ABM defensive systems in various stages of research and development. The thesis concludes with an examination of the various lawful possibilities to modify the restrictive provision of the Treaty. (MM)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA303454

Entities

People

  • Keith M. Sorge

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Anti-Ballistic Missiles
  • Defense Systems
  • Detection
  • Directed Energy Weapons
  • Early Warning Systems
  • Fire Control Systems
  • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
  • Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles
  • International Law
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Rockets
  • Theater Ballistic Missiles
  • Treaties
  • Warning Systems

Readers

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