Myers: “Very Large” Chinese Missile Buildup a Threat to Taiwan
January 15, 2004 :: Spacewar.com :: News
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers did not allow his visit to China to go without rebuking his guest for their “very large” missile buildup within range of Taiwan, and indicated that the United States might assist the island nation defend itself from mainland aggression. An assessment of his condemnation, however, requires one to pay close attention to its timing with recent events. (More »»»)
» Text of Chen’s speech, with revised, more “flexible,” resolution language
» Dec. 3: Nearly 500 Chinese missiles off the coast of Taiwan
» Gen. Bergert: China has made “significant” improvements in ability to strike Taiwan with missiles and by air
» More stories on: Allies, China, Proliferation, Taiwan
Israel Arrow 2 Intercept Exceeds Expectations
December 16, 2003 :: Jane's Information Group :: News
On December 16, the Israel Air Force conducted the eleventh firing of the Arrow 2 ballistic missile interceptor, the sixth test of the complete Arrow Weapon System, including an interception. The successful intercept test was described as exceeding expectations, according to the December 30 edition of Janes Defense Weekly.
The test took place with the interceptor launched from the Palmachim air force base. The Arrow missile intercepted a Rafael Armament Development Authority Black Sparrow target missile which had been dropped by an Israel F-15 aircraft and made to simulate a medium-range ballistic missile.
The test, said one Israeli official, confirmed that the system “almost doubled the interception altitude of the Arrow,” making them useful against such longer range threats as Iran’s Shahab MRBM. “This was the most complex Arrow test we ever conducted and the results were even beyond our expectations,” the source said. Plans for future tests include the interception of an actual SCUD MRBM in 2004, to take place in the United States. The US Missile Defense Agency co-manages the Arrow program. (Article, Link)
» Jan. 17: China Daily: U.S. to increase production of Israeli Arrow Interceptor
» JINSA: Another Arrow Success
» More stories on: Allies, Technology, Testing - Foreign
» Missile system details for: Arrow
Australia to Proceed with Missile Defense
December 4, 2003 :: CNN :: News
Following months of talks, Australia has now announced it will participate in the U.S. missile defense system. “We believe that taking part in the U.S. program will serve our strategic interest, help us defend Australia and allow us to make an important contribution to global and regional security,” said Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
Meanwhile, Japan also continues to move closer to such a commitment. Both countries are strategically important to the United States’ own missile defenses for the satellite tracking stations based in those countries, quite valuable in the case of a North Korean or Chinese attack or provocation over Taiwan. In a larger sense, Australia’s announcement is only the most recent demonstration of the abandonment of policies which rely upon purely offensive notions of deterrence, and which herald a global defensive transition.
Australia already jointly operates a ballistic missile early warning station with the United States, located at Pine Gap in the Outback. The United States had also begun the joint Project DUNDEE (Down Under Early Warning Experiment) in 1997, which involved the tracking and interception of short range or so-called “theatre” ballistic missiles. (Article, Link)
» Japan moving closer to announcement for MD
» MDA description of Project DUNDEE
» More stories on: Allies, Australia
Bulgarian Interest in Missile Defense
October 16, 2003 :: Bulgarian News Network :: News
Bulgarian Army Chief of Staff Nikola Kolev recently expressed interest in missile defenses for his country. “If some countries are not dispossessed of their capabilities to build such weapons, we’ll have to build such a system sooner or later,” he said according to the Bulgarian News Network. Last month news reports suggested that the US was looking into cooperating with Romania and Bulgaria for a Europe-based missile defense system to protect from attacks by Iran.
The increasing interest in missile defense points toward a likelihood of a global transition from purely offensive deterrence regarding the ballistic missile threat to one which includes missile defenses, a transition from doctrines of assured destruction to doctrines of defense. (Article, Link)
» Romania Denies Talks with US on MD
» Bulgarian FM on MD
» More stories on: Allies
Japan to Build MD Radar
September 15, 2003 :: Japan Times
The Japanese Defense Agency plans to build a new radar system designed to detect ballistic missile launches by North Korea, reports the Japan Times. The radars will later be integrated into an 11-radar station network and a missile defense system. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies
Japan MD by 2006
August 30, 2003 :: Japan Times
The Japan Defense Agency has submitted a defense budget request which includes 500 billion yen for missile defense, to be deployed by 2006. The Japanese deployment, directed largely at North Korean ballistic missile threats, would be two-tiered, combining forms of the Aegis Sea-Based system and the PAC Patriot Ground Based System. The JDA hopes to equip 16 of its 27 Self Defense Forces with Patriot systems, and to deploy four Aegis Cruisers. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD, Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2), Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Japan Pushing for Defenses
August 12, 2003 :: Sioux City Journal :: News
The Japanese Defense Agency is planning a budget request of $1.2 billion for the development of a dual-layered missile defense system, a sum up from the $132 million allocated last year for research. The spike of attention comes amidst increased stirrings from North Korea, which test launched their Taepo’ dong I missile over the main Japanese island in 1998, and have since been making noise about a miniaturized nuclear weapons program. A recent white paper by the Japanese Defense Agency called missile defense a “pressing need,” and identified North Korea as a major and growing threat.
The proposed Japanese system would combine state-of-the-art Aegis cruisiers, with a sea-based boost-phase or midcourse-phase component, with a newer version of the Patriot missile, designed to intercept missile warheads in their terminal phase as they reenter the atmosphere toward their target. Japan currently has around 27 batteries of the PAC-2 version of the Patriot, but these are limited to interceting missiles with a range and speed significantly less than the longer-reaching (and thus more quickly moving) Taepo’ Dongs. (Article, Link)
» Japanese Defense Agency white paper cites need for missile defenses
» More stories on: Allies
» Missile details: Tien Chi
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD, Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2)
U.S.-India Commission Issues Joint Statement
August 8, 2003 :: Department of Defense :: News
A joint commission between the United States and India today issued a joing statement on military cooperation which included moving forward on missile defense alliances. India, which borders its natural geopolitical enemy China with a large arsenal of ballistic missiles, will be invited to two upcoming BMD conferences in Japan and Germany, during June 2003 and July 2004, respectively.
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith led the U.S. panel. Feith was the co-author of a famous 1996 legal memorandum on the lapsing of the ABM Treaty following the collapse of the Soviet Union. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, China, India
Taiwan Requests PAC-3
July 24, 2003 :: Jane's Information Group :: News
Janes Missiles and Rockets confirms that Taiwan indeed plans on purchasing the United States’ latest operational Patriot Advanced Capability system, the PAC-3. Taiwan has formally presented their request for three Lockheed Martin Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile batteries, which the US Department of Defense is said to be currently evaluating and will likely recommend, as well as early warning radar (EWR). Taiwan already has three batteries of the PAC-2.
These purchase plans coincide with continued reports that China is increasing the number of ballistic missiles positioned off the coast of Taiwan, with some 100 DF-11 and 300 DF-15 missiles, according to Jane’s August 1 edition. (Article, Link)
» March 14 report on Taiwan’s missile defense interests
» More stories on: Allies, China, Taiwan
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
US Continues Talks with Australia to participate in Missile Shield
July 12, 2003 :: The Courier Mail (AU) :: News
The United States and Australia have been in negotiations about whether and to what extent Australia would also be interested in acquiring missile defense systems. Such participation would also likely include missile defense cooperation with Japan. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Policy
