May 17, 2004 :: Defense News :: News
As the Pentagon pushes for the development of the Kinectic Energy Interceptor (KEI), a system intended to shoot down missiles during the boost phase, and as the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) gave contracts to Northrop Grumman and Raytheon to develop the KEI system, staunch missile defense supporters are voicing concern over the usefulness of the system, according to Defense News.
Henry Cooper, chairman of High Frontier, a missile defense advocacy group, said last month at a Washington breakfast sponsored by the National Defense University, funding should be allocated to space and sea-based systems within the time frame provided for the development of the KEI. Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy, and James Hackett, a San Diego-based consultant, echoed similar sentiments.
Gaffney noted that the KEI, a land-based system, lacks in effectiveness against missiles in their boost phase because it is not able to be deployed near the launch site. For missile defense interceptors, the boost phase provides much better odds for taking out a missile because of the slower speed of flight right after launch and the inability to utilize decoys.
All three experts agreed that, in the long term, a space-based system is the best way forward for countering missiles in the boost phase; while, for the near term, using some KEI money for putting interceptors modeled after the Standard Missile-3 on the Navy’s Aegis cruisers is a worthwhile endeavor.
» More stories on: Policy
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD, Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI)
