South Korea Considering Buying Patriots from Germany
July 13, 2005 :: AFP :: News
South Korea is considering buying second-hand Patriot missiles from Germany, reports the AFP. Klaus Von Sperber, director of international armament affairs in Germany’s defense ministry, recently traveled to Seoul to meet with Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-Ung and other Korean military officials. The AFP quotes a South Korean ministry official as saying, “The German official is in Seoul for talks on the sale of Patriot missiles deployed in his country.” South Korea hopes to phase out its aging arsenal of Nike surface-to-air missiles beginning in 2006. (Article, Link)
» July 5, 2005: South Korea revives bid for Patriots
» More stories on: Allies, South Korea
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2), Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
South Korea Revives Request for Patriot Interceptors
July 5, 2005 :: AFP :: News
South Korea intends to buy Patriot interceptor missiles to defend against North Korea, reports the AFP. South Korea hopes to phase out its aging arsenal of Nike surface-to-air missiles beginning in 2006, replacing them with new Patriots purchased from either the U.S., or second-hand ones from Germany. In 2000, Seoul came close to buying 48 Patriots from the U.S., but ultimately cancelled the purchase.
The article does not specify whether Seoul intends to purchase the PAC-2 or the upgraded PAC-3. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, South Korea
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2), Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
India Plans to Develop Indigenous Missile Defenses
July 5, 2005 :: AFP :: News
India has declared that it plans to develop its own missile defense, reports the AFP. The article quotes Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee, that “There is no question of accepting [a] missile shield from anyone. …What we are interested in is developing our own missile program and we are doing that.” Mukherjee’s comments follow last week’s signing of a 10-year joint defense agreement between the U.S. and India, and previous reports that Washington plans to sell (or has already sold) Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptors to New Delhi. Mukherjee did not mention the PAC-3 in his statement. (Article, Link)
» June 29, 2005: AFP on U.S.-India defense agreement
» June 15, 2005: The Indian Express on PAC-3 sales to India
» More stories on: Allies, India
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Taiwan to Get BMD Radar
June 30, 2005 :: Reuters :: News
The U.S. Air Force will provide Taiwan with the Early Warning Surveillance Radar, reports Reuters. The high-tech system will allow Taiwan to detect and track long- and short-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, surface ships, and enemy aircraft. Once completed, it will be integrated with missile warning centers, and potentially the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) anti-missile system, which the United States has offered to sell Taiwan. The Early Warning Surveillance Radar will cost approximately $752 million, and is scheduled for delivery to Taiwan in September 2009. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Taiwan
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
India, U.S. Sign Ten Year Defense Agreement
June 29, 2005 :: AFP :: News
The U.S. and India have signed a 10-year defense agreement paving the way for joint weapons production and cooperation on missile defense. The June 28 statement signed by U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his Indian counterpart, Pranab Mukherjee, calls for “an enhanced level of cooperation covering military to military relations as well as a defense industrial and technological relationship.” The two nations have agreed to set up a defense procurement and production group to oversee defense trade, co-production and technology collaboration, and research, development, testing and evaluation.
Most analysts view the June 28 initiative as part of Washington’s larger strategy to counter the growing influence of China, India’s immediate neighbor. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, India
U.S. Asks Japan for $545 Million
June 20, 2005 :: AFP :: News
The U.S. has asked Japan to contribute $545 million to the joint Aegis sea-based missile defense system, reports the AFP. The U.S. intends to contribute an equal amount to the project. Some reports indicate, however, that Tokyo finds this sum too high and plans to ask for a reduction in cost. The AFP notes that Japan is attempting to cut its defense spending amid mixed signals on the direction of its economy. (Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Japan
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD
U.S. to Discuss BMD Sales to India
June 17, 2005 :: AFP :: News
Stephen Rademaker, U.S. assistant secretary of state for arms control, told reporters on Thursday that the U.S. is willing to discuss supplying missile defense systems to India. The AFP quotes Rademaker, speaking from New Delhi, as saying, “We are willing to talk to India about missile defense. Missile defense is very expensive. So, it is not something that India will enter into lightly.” He urged New Delhi to spell out regulatory mechanisms for controlling exports of sensitive technologies. Rademaker’s comments coincide with reports that the U.S. has agreed to sell to India the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) system.
On June 15 The Indian Express reported that the U.S. has already cleared the sale of PAC-3 anti-missile interceptors. The decision came on the eve of Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to the U.S. this month, and represents a significant step toward closer military relations between the two countries. The PAC-3, unlike previous models, relies on hit-to-kill technology to eliminate short- and medium-range missiles. (Article, Link)
» June 15, 2005: The Indian Express on PAC-3 sales to India
» More stories on: Allies, India
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Taiwan Fires Cruise Missile
June 7, 2005 :: AFP :: News
Taiwan has successfully test fired a cruise missile, reportedly its first, according to The China Times. The article suggests the test took place in March, during which Taiwan launched its new Hsuing Feng cruise missile from the Chiupeng military base in the southern Pingtung county. The missile is said to have a range of 1,000 km (620 miles) and could be used to attack targets in southeast China. The Hsuing Feng tested is said to have flown over 500 km (310 miles) before hitting its target. The missile could enter pilot production in late 2005 or early 2006.
The significance of such a test is that Taiwan is begun to produce a counter-deterrent to China’s large and growing threat of literally hundreds of both ballistic and cruise missiles stationed near and aimed toward Taiwan. The deterrent, however, is comparatively quite modest. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Cruise Missiles, Taiwan, Testing - Foreign
Japan Ready to Move Ahead with Missile Defense
June 7, 2005 :: Washington Times :: News
The Washington Times quotes Yoshinori Ono, chief of Japan’s Defense Agency, as saying that the joint Japanese-U.S. sea-based missile defense program will soon enter the development stage. The program includes the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptor, which will be deployed on Aegis-equipped destroyers and cruisers. The two nations launched the project in 1999 after North Korea tested its long-range Taep’o-dong 1 ballistic missile, which flew over Japan and landed into the Pacific Ocean. The article notes that actual production of the SM-3 is scheduled to begin around 2011. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Japan
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD
U.S. to Sell Japan SM-2 Interceptors
June 6, 2005 :: Reuters :: News
The Pentagon plans to sell 40 Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) surface-to-air missiles to Japan, reports Reuters. Japan has requested the interceptors for its Maritime Self Defense Force fleet, in order to bolster its defense of critical sea-lanes. According to the Pentagon, “It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist Japan to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability, which will contribute to an acceptable military balance in the area.” (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Japan
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD
