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Pakistan Launches Hatf-2

Ten days after the launch of a Shaheen-II missile, Pakistan today successfully tested the short-range, nuclear-capable Hatf-2 missile, also identified as “Abdali.” The Hatf-2 is believed to have a range of 180km; another version, the Hatf-2A (also called Abdali), has a range of 300km. (Article, Link) 

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» Missile details: Hatf 2, Hatf 2A

Pakistan Fires Shaheen II

Pakistan today test launched its longest range missile, the Shaheen II (Hatf-6), with a reported range of around 2,000 km and the capability of delivering a nuclear warhead. A military statement said of the test:

This missile system, which incorporates advanced two-stage solid motor technology, can carry all types of conventional and nuclear warheads to a range of 2,000 kilometres. The test was carried out to verify some of the refined technical parameters … all parameters were validated.

        The Associated Press cites an anonymous military official as saying that the test was conducted from a facility near Pakistan’s southern city of Karachi and that the test was witnessed by President General Pervez Musharraf.  (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Pakistan, Testing - Foreign

» Missile details: Hatf 6

Russia Can Quickly Produce Missiles Banned by INF Treaty

The Russian defense industry could with short notice begin production of intermediate range ballistic missiles currently banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, reports Interfax, quoting an unnamed Russian defense source. The source is quoted at length: “All the necessary technical and production prerequisite are in place. For instance, the achievements in research and technology gained in the development of the Skorost missile system in the 1980s may become a basis for manufacturing medium-range missiles…The Skorost system was developed in response to the deployment of US Pershing-2 missiles in Europe. In its characteristics, it was not inferior to its foreign counterpart…The [Skorost] missile was capable of carrying a more powerful warhead than Pershing-2.”
        The Russian defense source also added that the development of new missiles with a range of 500-600 km based on existing Iskander-E tactical missile systems was also possibile.  (Article, Link) 

» BBC Monitoring text of Interfax report

» Text of 1987 INF Treaty

» Description of cancelled Skorost missile program

» More stories on: Russia

Navy Interceptor Praised

The recent edition of Navy Times profiles the successes of the Navy’s Aegis ballistic missile defense program, which most recently scored another successful intercept during its February 24 test. The Navy Times cites a March 7 briefing, when “an MDA official said the SM-3 hit within single-digit centimeters of the intended target on the warhead.” (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Sea-Based Systems

» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD

General Holly: System Could Stop North Korean Attack Today

Major General John Holly, who heads the ground based midcourse defense program for the Missile Defense Agency, commented in remarks to Alaska lawmakers today that the missile defense system deployed in Alaska and California could, if so directed, provide a limited defense against a limited attack from a country such as North Korea. “If directed, we could provide a limited defense against an attack out of Northeast Asia,” he said. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Deployment

» Missile system details for: Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD)

Chinese Weapons Designer: “Magic Weapons” To Prevent Taiwan Independence; Willing to Set Economy Back 20 Years if Necessary

The Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao issued a story on March 11 citing a Chinese weapons designer, Chief Designer Xu Zhongxin of the 203 Institute of the Ministry of Weaponry Industry and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference [CPPCC], disclosing that China possesses unique “magic” weapons and equipment which even Russia and the United States do not have, for the purpose of smashing the “Taiwan independence” separatists. An excerpt:

In recent years, there has been one report after another about Taiwan’s secret development of offensive missiles. The international military magazine “Jane’s Missiles and Rockets” once disclosed that the Taiwan troops are seizing the time to develop and equip themselves with offensive short-range and middle-rage ground-to-ground missiles. Various signs have indicated that the Taiwan authorities are stepping up the implementation of their “defensive countermeasures” strategic plan and are striving to increase their chips for rejecting reunification by force.

Regarding Taiwan’s “countermeasures”, Xu Zhongxin said that the information about Taiwan’s developing missiles on its own is believable, but it is doubtful whether or not their performance is as good as it has boasted. As an old saying goes: Where there is a spear, there is a shield. Taiwan has missiles that can reach the coastal areas or even further to the hinterland, but the mainland has already established the early warning system, the ground-based intercept system, and the super short range anti-missile system, which are more than sufficient to deal with those missiles.

Xu Zhongxin said that the Chinese armed forces have the confidence and capability to smash any scheme attempting to separate Taiwan from China and have the capability to win a local war. If Chen Shui-bian and his like are bent on having their own way, the outcome will be war. War is a tragedy to both sides of the strait. It may cause China’s economy to fall back by 20 years, but the Taiwan people will suffer grievous losses. Such an outcome is something none of us wishes to see.

 (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: China

Russia-NATO Missile Defense Exercise Scheduled

Russia and NATO will conduct a joint missile defense excercise from March 14 to March 23 at Airbase De Peel, the Netherlands, the second in the cooperative theatre missile defense exercises. A NATO press release describes the exercise: “The objectives of the CPX [Command Post Exercise] are to exercise the Experimental Concept and associated Experimental Concept of Operations (CONOPS)developed by the joint NATO-Russia TMD Ad Hoc Working Group as well as to practice procedures for TMD planning and coordination.” (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russian Missile Defenses

China to Have 800 Missiles Aimed at Taiwan in 2006

Taiwanese defense minister Lee Jye said in an address to the parliament that mainland China already has 700 missiles aimed at the tiny island nation, and that number will grow to 800 by 2006. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: China, Taiwan

Russia Tests Tochka-U in Siberia

The Russian military successfully carried out a test launch of the short range Tochka-U (SS-21) ballistic missile on March 5, in the Siberian Military District, as part of a military exercise, reports press spokesman Colonel Valeriy Shcheblanin, reports Itar Tass. The missile is said to have hit its target “with utmost precision.”
        Tochka-U, which is offered for export, is a version of the SS-21 (“Scarab B”) missile with a composite fuel, and an extended range of 120 km.  (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign

» Missile details: SS-24, SS-25

Testing of Agni III May Occur in 2006

India has revised its estimate of when the Agni III ballistic missile will begin to undergo testing, which was reportedly expected as early as 2003; initial flight testing is now said to be at least another year away, namely in 2006, due to technical problems which are now said to be “well under control.” The Times of India quotes a source as saying that “The Agni-I (700-800 km range) and Agni-II (2,000-km-plus) missiles, already being inducted into the Army as part of the deterrent posture against Pakistan, have boosters from Indian Space Research Organisation…But Agni-III is a totally different system, with an entirely new vehicle…Its various systems have to be extensively tested in ground test-beds first to establish reliability.” (More »»») 

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» Missile details: Agni-3

Kennedy/Coyle Debate Weaponization of Space

Brian Kennedy, President of the Claremont Institute, yesterday debated Philip Coyle III, Senior Advisor of the Center for Defense Information and former Assistant Secretary of Defense, on the subject of the weaponization of space. The debate sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Ventura, California was held on March 3. The Ventura County Star reports on the debate. Kennedy made the case for space-based missile defenses, and Coyle the case against.

        An excerpt:

Imagine ships linked to al-Qaida secretly docked at the Port of Long Beach, waiting for the opportunity to launch a short-range ballistic missile into Los Angeles.

Would the United States have the ability to intercept this weapon of mass destruction?

According to Brian Kennedy, president of Claremont Institute, the U.S. Department of Defense could have that capability. The institute is dedicated to the study of statesmanship and political philosophy.

The best line of defense, however, would not be from land or sea, but in space, Kennedy said.

“Space-age weapons are part of that solution,” Kennedy said. “In war, one is always seeking the high ground. In traditional warfare, it is from the high ground that you have the greatest advantage.”

 (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Space-Based Systems

CSP on the Merits of Navy Missile Defense

Responding to the recent successful intercept on February 24, the Center for Security Policy has posted praise for the Navy’s sea-based Aegis ballistic missile defense system to meet the growing missile threat. They note first the significance of the test:

Three features make this test particularly significant: For the first time, the hardware and software utilized was the operational configuration (known as AEGIS BMD 3.0) that will be installed in all other AEGIS missile defense ships. No less noteworthy is the fact that the SM-3 utilized to shoot down the target was one of the first of the production rounds to come off the manufacturing line. And, the personnel used to conduct the test were the regular crew of the U.S.S. Lake Erie.

In other words, this was the “real deal.” The option of complementing land-based anti-missile defenses with sea-based assets capable of both tracking ballistic missiles and destroying them in-flight is now in hand.

In addition to the exemplary performance of the Lake Erie and her crew, Thursday’s test also featured another important development. A second AEGIS ship, the USS Russell, brought to bear for the first time a new capability known as the AEGIS Ballistic Missile Signal Processor (BMSP). This S-Band radar provided real-time discrimination and classification of the target, information that considerably enhances the probability of intercept. The AEGIS BMSP holds great promise for expanding missile defense radar coverage at a fraction of the cost of other approaches.

 (More »»») 

» Feb. 28, 2005: Gaffney on Aegis in Washington Times

» More stories on: Analysis

» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD

Russian S-300V Profiled

Russian NTV television recently carried a report, on February 27, on the S-300V air and missile defense system. The report describes how the system was first devised for the purpose of destroying, with a nuclear warhead, American ballistic missiles, such as the Pershing II. According to the report, the Antey-2500 version of the S-300 interceptor has a range of 2,500km. Russia maintains that the American Patriot air and missile defense system has still not achieved comparable capability. (More »»») 

» Missile system details for: S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)

North Korea Ends Missile Testing Moratorium

North Korea today issued a 5,000 word statement which declared that it no longer considered itself bound by the self-imposed moratorium on missile testing, announced in September of 1999, approximately one year after its long-range missile launch over Japan on August 31, 1998. The lifting of the moratorium was said to be in response to “hostile” U.S. policies.

In September 1999, during the former US administration period, we already announced the moratorium on the missile launch while dialogue was under way, but in 2001 when the Bush administration took power, dialogue between the DPRK and the United States was completely suspended. Therefore, we are not bound to the moratorium on the missile launch at present.

        Full text of the statement delivered by the Central Broadcasting Station in Pyongyang: (More »»») 

» Text of North Korean announcement, delivered over North Korean radio

» More stories on: North Korea