Canadian Majority Supports BMD
October 5, 2004 :: News
A recent Pollara poll found that a majority of Canadians favor Canadian cooperation in the American-led missile defense programs to defend North America.
The poll comes about a week after Canadian Defense Minister Graham publicly called for Canada to join the American-led effort. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Policy
Patriot Interceptors to go to Kwangju, South Korea
September 16, 2004 :: News
The 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade from Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas are now working to relocate to the South Korean city of Gwang-Ju (Kwangju) where they will man the new Patriot missile defense interceptors being deployed there, to defend against attacks from the North. The interceptors are said to be deployed at both the Kwangju Airport an airport in nearby Yosu, and a seaport in Kwangyang. The troops’ redeployment is said to be complete sometime in November. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Deployment
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Russia Concerned about Greenland Radar Upgrade
August 13, 2004 :: The Moscow Times :: News
As Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld travels to Russia to discuss missile defense and other subjects with his Russian counterpart Sergei Ivanov, he is expected to face opposition about the recent agreement to upgrade the Thule radar complex located in Greenland, signed with Denmark on August 6. Russia is concerned that the location of the radar will permit the U.S. to track not only rogue state missile launches, but those of Russia as well, which could potentially allow the U.S. some chance of intercepting Russian ICBMs.
Interfax quoted an unidentified Russian defense official as saying that “These actions directly affect Russia’s security interests”—even though Russia frequently maintains that it has the capabilities to penetrate U.S. missile defenses. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Russia, Detection and Tracking
PAC-3 to go to Allies by End of 2004
August 12, 2004 :: Middle East Newsline :: News
The sale of the Advanced Capability-3 version of the Patriot Interceptor will likely be arranged with a number of other countries by year’s end, according to a report from Lockheed Martin and the Department of Defense. The sale of the PAC-3 has been discussed with a number of Middle Eastern and European countries, but the most likely prospects in 2004 are Japan, Taiwan, and the Netherlands. (Article, Link)
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» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Canada Agrees to NORAD Change to Accommodate Missile Defense
August 6, 2004 :: Washington Times :: News
While still insisting it will not yet agree to be partied to the United States missile defense system, Canada has agreed to a change in the NORAD structure required for the operation of missile defenses, soon to be deployed. Canada’s consent permits the U.S. to feed data from the early warning system to would-be interceptors. Defense Minister Bill Graham insisted that Canada’s decision to go along had to be made to protect Canada’s participation in NORAD, saying that the U.S. was prepared to construct a parallel warning system without Canada if necessary, a course which would have rendered NORAD “obsolete.” (Article, Link)
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Two Additional Patriot Batteries to go to South Korea
August 4, 2004 :: Washington Times :: News
Soldiers departing from the U.S. Camp Casey in Dongducheon, north of Seoul, South Korea, will soon be replaced by a Patriot missile defense unit from Fort Bliss, Texas. Five hundred troops from the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade will man the units, to be stationed in Osan. Two Patriot brigades will be added, bringing the total batteries of Patriots in South Korea to eight. Each Patriot battery has six to eight launchers; each launcher can hold four PAC-2 missiles or 16 PAC-3 missiles. (Article, Link)
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» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2), Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
U.S., Denmark to Sign Agreement to Upgrade Greenland Radars
July 30, 2004 :: Washington Times :: News
Secretary of State Powell will ink an agreement with Denmark on August 6, by which the United States acquires the ability to upgrade its Thule missile detection radars based in Greenland. The agreement was approved by the Danish parliament earlier this year. The Thule air base provides a location to track missile launches from such locations as Iran. It would likely be useful for any missile defense interceptors based in Europe, a plan slated for 2006. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Detection and Tracking
Arrow Interceptor Test Successful: Scud Destroyed
July 29, 2004 :: Ha'aretz :: News
The Arrow missile defense system, jointly developed by Israel and the United States, successfully intercepted an incoming Scud missile. Both missiles were fired from locations near Los Angeles, and the interception took place over the Pacific Ocean.
The test, described as both “realistic” and “crucial,” has been planned for two years. It marks the seventh test of the full Arrow system and the twelfth test of the Arrow interceptor. The Scud was launched from a U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center at Point Magu near Los Angeles. The Arrow system’s radar, called Green Pine, directed the interceptor to its target. Although an earlier report from the Indian Express said that the U.S. Defense Department refused to say where the Scud came from, Haaretz today claimed that the Scud was confiscated from Iraq. In the previous test, in December 2003, the Arrow intercepted a Black Sparrow missile, also produced by Israel.
The Arrow has been operational in Israel since 2000, and two batteries of the missiles are currently deployed, at Ein Shemer and Palmahim. A number of other countries, such as India, are considering purchasing one or more of various competing missile defense systems, including the Arrow, the American Patriot PAC-3, and the Russian S-300 and S-400.
Originally designed to protect against Iraqi Scuds and Al Hussein missiles, the future of the Arrow for Israel will likely be to defend against potential attacks by Iran’s Shahab-3. Iran on Monday threatened to wipe Israel “off the map” if either Israel or the United States attempted to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Israel, Testing - American, Testing - Foreign
» Missile system details for: Arrow
Chinese Ambassador Warns Australia About Missile Defense Cooperation
July 29, 2004 :: News
In a visit to Australia, new Chinese ambassador Fu Ying warned the country about its missile defense ties with the United States. Australia had recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States, on July 7, concerning the use of its missile defense radars—of potential use to track both North Korean and Chinese missile launches. Citing mantras about regional strategic stability, and that missile defenses by themselves would not stem the flow of weapons of mass destruction, the ambassador’s statements illustrate China’s opposition to American defenses, which it worries will impede its own ambitions for Pacific dominance. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, China
U.S. in Missile Defense Talks with Czechs, Poles
July 13, 2004 :: London Guardian :: News
The United States continues talks with both Poland and the Czech Republic, for the countries to possibly host a European-based group of missile defense interceptors and radars, reports the London Guardian. The base could be wholly extraterritorial, and some 100km square. Similar talks have been underway with Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania, but are not believed to be as developed. The Guardian notes that Russia would likely be opposed to having missile defense interceptors so near its own territory, thus potentially weakening its offensive nuclear arsenal against the United States. The interceptors would be quite useful, however, against missile strikes from Iran against either the United States or Europe itself.
A European base would likely station the same Ground Based Interceptors to be deployed in Alaska and California in the coming months. (Article, Link)
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» Missile system details for: Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD)
