Ground-Based Midcourse Defense: Continue Testing, but Operational Fielding Must Take a Backseat to Theater Missile Defense and Homeland Security
Abstract
The Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system has been rushed into operation in Alaska but does not yet provide any defense against the thousands of nuclear warheads of Russia's 700 inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). GMD will not protect America from the twenty or so nuclear missiles owned by China. There are only two other countries (Britain and France) that have ICBMs capable of reaching the United States. Thus, GMD is being deployed almost exclusively against the possibility that North Korea and Iran will develop ICBMs. Although an effective GMD is a necessity, it is not yet technologically mature enough. Deploying a GMD system now is a mistake--effective, deployable theater missile defenses and improving port and border security to prevent the non-traditional delivery of WMD into the United States are more relevant and much more necessary than deploying a missile defense that is not yet technically mature.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 24, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA436540
Entities
People
- Robert J. Cepek
Organizations
- National Defense University