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Missile Defense Team Completes Flight Test and Intercepts Target Missile

On September 28 the Missile Defense Agency reported the successful test of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, including an intercept of a target missile.  The Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska launched a long range ballistic missile target, traveling southward to resemble the trajectory of a North Korean missile.  The upgraded Early Warning Radar at Beale Air Force Base in California located and tracked the target.  Seventeen minutes later, Vandenberg Air Force Base in California launched an interceptor missile, which released its exoatmospheric kill vehicle, the component that collides directly with the target warhead in space, a "hit to kill" kinetic technology.  The interceptor successfully destroyed the target warhead, marking the seventh successful intercept of the GMD system, and the second time an operationally configured interceptor has been used in the past thirteen months.  The test was described as highly complex, and integrating a number of components, including the Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX) located in the northern Pacific and an Aegis ballistic missile defense ship using its onboard SPY-1 radar to track the target warhead. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Testing - American

» Missile system details for: Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD), Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI), Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX), Aegis Ship-Based BMD

Ros-Lehtinen on Reckoning with Syria

The New York Sun published an opinion piece by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida on Syria on September 19. Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen argues that only tougher economic sanctions, particularly ones targeting Syria's energy industry, are the only way to change its destructive behavior in the region. Syria is "a stalwart supporter for terrorist organizations and activities throughout the region," allowing foreign jihadists to enter Iraq and serving as a base of operations for Hezbollah and Hamas. Additionally, "Syria has developed ballistic missiles and has reportedly even conducted research and development on biological weapons. Syria has one of the largest ballistic missile inventories in the Middle East, comprised of several hundred short-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles." Syria's pursuit of more destructive weaponry aligned it with Iran, with whom it declared in a mutual self-defense pact in 2005.

 

Accordingly, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen has introduced the Syria Accountability and Liberation Act, which would:

 

[R]equire the immediate imposition of all possible American sanctions and that they remain in place until Syria ceases its support for terrorism, unconventional weapons development, and other destructive policies. It mandates a number of additional sanctions to curtail Syria's proliferation efforts and imposes new sanctions on entities that invest or conduct business in Syria's energy sector.

 

The Congresswoman concludes that, "Without foreign capital and development, Syria will be deprived of the energy profits it desperately needs to buy weapons and sponsor terrorist activities," and therefore make the U.S. and its allies safer. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Analysis, Syria

Obering: Dependence on Radar in Azerbaijan Would be Inadequate

On September 18 a delegation of U.S. missile defense experts toured the Russian Gabala radar facility in Azerbaijan.  A current U.S. plan to house ten Ground Based Interceptors in Poland and an X-band radar in the Czech Republic as part of a limited missile defense system has angered Russia, which believes it is intended to challenge its own nuclear deterrent and fears the proximity of the system to its border. Russian President Vladimir Putin offered a counter-proposal in July that would allow the U.S. to share the use of its radar facility in Azerbaijan instead of building one in the Czech Republic. However, the director of the Missile Defense Agency, Lieutenant General Henry Obering, stated that "we do not anticipate, and cannot see, that what they are proposing can take the place for what we are proposing for Poland and the Czech Republic." Obering added, that based on current assessments of the Russian system, it is "not capable of performing the functions" of the radar proposed for the Czech Republic. The Russian radar in Azerbaijan has a broad view of the horizon and is useful for early warning, while the system proposed for the Czech Republic is designed to have a quite narrow view, but one that is very detailed and exact, as required for tracking and targeting individual missiles. The Russian system could be useful as a way to alert the rest of the missile-defense system in Europe to a missile attack but the Russians have maintained that the Gabala radar facility is intended to be an alternative to the U.S. plan and not a supplement. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russia, NATO

Poland Firm on Support for Missile Defense

U.S. and Polish diplomats believe that a final agreement concerning the placement of Ground Based Interceptors in Poland will be finalized by the end of the year.  The questions remaining to be answered are the future base's territorial status, and who will pay for construction of the facilities.  On September 8, Kommersant quoted Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Robert Shanyavski as saying that, "The timeframe is by no means the most important issue. Our strategic goal is an alliance with the United States, so we can afford not to hurry."  U.S. Congressman Trent Franks was also cited, as saying that missile defense elements in Poland and the Czech Republic will go ahead, even if a Democrat becomes president in 2008.  (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Allies, European Missile Defenses

NATO Secretary General Criticizes Russia's Stance on Third Site

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer criticized Russia's stance on the U.S. missile defense to place an X-band radar system in the Czech Republic and ten Ground Based Interceptors in Poland. "Let me speak openly. Russia's sharp criticism of U.S. plans attached a counterproductive and useless coloring to the NATO-Russia dialogue... Russia's warnings addressed to our Czech and Polish allies are inappropriate in today's Europe." 

 

The Secretary General did find Russia's counter-proposal, suggesting the joint use of Azeri radar base, heartening. "I would not judge the specific advantages of this proposal but I think it point out to three nuances. First, Russia recognized the existence of potential rocket menace; second, Russia seeks for joint solutions; third, pragmatic compromise on missile defense shield can be found," Scheffer said. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: European Missile Defenses, NATO, Russia

India Develops Underwater Launched Version of the Brahmos

Indian Defense Minister A. K. Antony announced September 5 that India had developed an underwater launched version of Brahmos cruise missile. However, as the Indian naval fleet does not currently have the capability to launch the new version of the Brahmos, Delhi has requested that Russia provide a submarine on loan to test the new missile. The Minister added that efforts were being made to integrate the missile with both the Air Force's SU-30 MKI fighters and Navy's IL-38 maritime planes. (Article, Link) 

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» Cruise missile details: BrahMos PJ-10

Franks Urges Russia to Join Another Race

Responding to Russian rhetoric that American and NATO efforts to construct missile defenses in Europe will precipate an "arms race," U.S. Congressman Trent Franks, one of three co-chairs of the new Missile Defense Caucus in the House of Representatives, has challenged Russia to join in a missile defense "race" with the United States.  Franks was the keynote speaker on September 3 at the Multinational Ballistic Missile Defense Conference in Maastricht, the Netherlands.  Congressman Franks challenged Russia to complete the best missile defense system:

 

My challenge to the leaders and people of Russia is this: There was a time in history when America and Russia's predecessor, the Soviet Union, had a massive arms race and built thousands of missiles and nuclear warheads that have ever since cast a foreboding shadow of fear across humanity.  But times have changed. It is now technologically possible to build systems to defend our citizens against nuclear missiles and therefore, to diminish their military and strategic value and, ultimately, their purpose for existence.  So, to Russia I would say, let us have another race, and let it be one of cooperation or of competition as you choose. Let us cooperate or compete to see whether both of us or which of us can develop the best missile defense systems to protect our own children and all of the children of the world from falling under the shadow of nuclear Jihad.  Let us together, turn Mutually Assured Destruction into Mutually Assured Survival for our children and our children's children. This is my Challenge to Russia.

 

Full text of Franks' remarks below: (More »»») 

» Text of Trent Franks Keynote Address

» More stories on: Policy, Russia