Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases

Reuters
By Phil Stewart
November 10, 2009

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. missile defense system that is too robust could actually backfire and become destabilizing, prompting countries like China to expand their nuclear arsenals, a U.S. general said on Tuesday.

Air Force General Kevin Chilton, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, did not question the current system, which was revised by President Barack Obama and the Pentagon in September.

But he explained that careful calculations would be needed when boosting U.S. defenses in the future to guard against threats from countries like North Korea.

“We have to be cautious with missile defense. Missile defense can be destabilizing depending on how you array it,” Chilton told a defense gathering in Washington.

He outlined a scenario that he said “I don’t think any of us want to see” in which hundreds of interceptors were deployed along the Western side of the United States.

“That kind of makes you feel more secure, doesn’t it? But what would it make the Chinese think about their deterrent?” Chilton asked.

“That might encourage them to in fact double, triple, quadruple their current nuclear forces. Because they would feel that their deterrent was no longer viable.” …

www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE5A94NH20091110

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foreignpolicy.com
October 28, 2009

President Obama today nominated of Philip Coyle, a leading critic of Bush administration missile defense schemes, to be a top White House scientific advisor.

Coyle, who was the head weapons tester at the Pentagon during the Clinton administration, was nominated to become the Associate Director for National Security and International Affairs at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. There he will lead a team tasked with giving scientific advice to Obama on a range of national security issues and will report to Director John Holdren.

Since his last tour at the Pentagon, Coyle has been a leading analyst on weapons systems for the Center for Defense Information, a component of the World Security Institute, a defense-minded think thank. From that perch, he’s been actively involved in several of the national security debates involving advanced technology and a staunch watchdog on the missile defense system the Bush administration rushed to deploy throughout its tenure.

Coyle has often pointed out that the testing done by the Pentagon on ballistic missile defense components since 2001 has been either shoddy or thin. Moreover, he has repeatedly questioned the basic rationale for investing billions to deploy ballistic missile defense around the world, especially in Eastern Europe.

“In my view, Iran is not so suicidal as to attack Europe or the United States with missiles,” he testified before the House Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee in February, “But if you believe that Iran is bound and determined to attack Europe or America, no matter what, then I think you also have to assume that Iran would do whatever it takes to overwhelm our missile defenses, including using decoys to fool the defenses, launching stealthy warheads, and launching many missiles, not just one or two.”

Coyle has often argued that the Bush administration rushed to deploy missile defense systems around the world to build momentum and keep money flowing into the program. He has repeatedly said that the Missile Defense Agency has been amassing hardware that is either not aligned with the threat or can’t be relied on in case of an actual emergency.

Over $120 billion has been spent on ballistic missile defense since its inception during the Reagan administration. …

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/10/28/obama_chooses_leading_missile_defense_critic_for_advisory_post

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The Jerusalem Post
September 10, 2009, Updated September 13, 2009

On Sunday, the USS Higgins hauled up its anchor and sailed out of Haifa Port where it had docked for a short visit.

An Arleigh Burke class destroyer – one of the largest and most powerful naval vessels built in the United States – the Higgins is one of 18 American ships with an Aegis interceptor system, capable of destroying enemy ballistic missiles above the atmosphere.

In just a few weeks, additional Aegis vessels will arrive here to participate in the biennial Juniper Cobra missile defense exercise that the IDF has been holding with the US European Command (EUCOM) and Missile Defense Agency since 2001.

This year’s drill, scheduled for mid-October, is being described as the largest joint exercise ever held by the countries. During it they will jointly test four ballistic missile defense systems.

In addition to the Aegis, the MDA and EUCOM are sending THAAD and Patriot 3 missile defense systems – America’s most-advanced – for the first time. …

www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1251804542241&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

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Global Security Newswire
September. 10, 2009

The Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee yesterday signed off on $7.7 billion in funding for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency in the next budget year …

The money is included in the fiscal 2010 defense appropriations bill, which was scheduled to be considered today by the full Appropriations Committee.

“The need for a robust national missile defense has never been more apparent than it is today,” Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said in a statement. “Threats from rogue nations that seek to do America and her allies harm must be countered. This funding will help ensure the safety and security of our country.”

The agency is charged with developing and deploying “an integrated, layered, ballistic missile defense system to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends against all ranges of enemy ballistic missiles in all phases of flight,” according to its Web site.

The defense legislation provides $846 million for Ground-based Midcourse Defense, which could be used to destroy ballistic missiles in the middle range of flight, and $1.1 billion for the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense program, which could be used against weapons in the final phase of flight.

The Patriot Advanced Capability 3 program would receive $569 million, while $257.4 million would go to the Standard Missile 3 …

Meanwhile, the Defense Department has issued a $93 million contract for production of the new Standard Missile 6 …

The contract calls for defense firm Raytheon Missile Systems by March 2012 to deliver 19 SM-6 missiles, along with additional components and containers for the weapons. Further contracts are expected.

The Navy could use the ship-based SM-6 against short-range ballistic missiles, along with cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and other threats …

www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20090910_5589.php

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UPI.com
Sept. 8, 2009

Israeli officials say there is a “strong possibility” that the United States will leave missile defense systems in the Jewish state after a joint missile defense exercise planned for October is concluded …

The U.S. missiles, part of the Ballistic Defense Program, would almost certainly remain under U.S. control, but it was not clear whether they would participate in defending Israel against Iranian missiles.

The report indicated that the Americans may deploy the missiles in Israel rather than in the Czech Republic and Poland as planned, in deference to Russia’s vehement objections to having U.S. missile systems so close to its border.

The Israeli report published Monday followed an Aug. 27 report in the Warsaw newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza that Washington planned to scrap its plans to base 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and an advanced radar in the Czech Republic to counter hostile missiles aimed at the United States, with Iran seen as the most likely threat. …

However, by redeploying the missiles in Israel, the Americans would be seen to be bolstering the Jewish state’s anti-missile defenses against a possible Iranian strike with its Shehab-3 ballistic missiles.

The Shehabs — Iran is believed to have 80-100 operational — are expected to be bolstered by more powerful Sajjil-2 missiles now being developed.

By adding U.S. weight to Israel’s own anti-ballistic defenses, namely the high-altitude, long-range Arrow-2 interceptor, Washington would be involving itself directly in the defense of Israel.

That would thus raise the stakes to an unprecedented degree in the event of an Iranian attack, either a first strike initiated by Tehran or one retaliating for a pre-emptive Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic. …

www.upi.com/Security_Industry/2009/09/08/US-may-redeploy-BDM-in-Israel/UPI-30531252421354/

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Associated Press
September 2, 2009

The United States is assuring Poland that it has not made a decision on where to deploy a European missile defense system but will keep Warsaw informed. …

U.S. national security adviser James Jones … conveyed “the United States’ firm and unwavering commitment to Poland’s security and defense.”

The message comes amid nervousness in Poland that the Obama administration is preparing to drop plans to build a missile interceptor site on Polish soil.

The plans, which also call for a radar in the Czech Republic, are opposed by Russia.

www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hqIytTYhtOLWpkZaBfoSdZ6kffQwD9AEN8804

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Global Security Newswire
August 13, 2009

The Obama administration’s proposal to emphasize battlefield missile defenses over systems for intercepting strategic ballistic missiles would save the nation money while potentially making it more vulnerable to future attack, says a report published yesterday by a Washington-based defense think tank …

The Defense Department’s $9.3 billion missile defense budget request would slash spending by $1.7 billion — or 16 percent — from the current funding level, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments analyst Todd Harrison wrote in the report. Still, the missile defense budget remains $4 billion higher than in fiscal 2001, the last funding year settled under the Clinton administration.

Harrison noted particular concern about a proposal to deploy only 30 ground-based interceptors, warning that doing so “with no replacement or replenishment program could result in too few missiles to provide a basic level of protection, especially as these missiles are depleted over time from regular test launches.”

The Pentagon request would decrease funds for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system by 35 percent, providing it with $983 million in the fiscal 2010, the report states. …

The Pentagon requested a total of $668 billion for the next fiscal year, including $130 billion for international military commitments. The poor economic climate and spending in other sectors is likely to limit future expenditures on defense procurement as well as research, development, test and evaluation efforts …

www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20090813_4838.php

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Seattle Post Intelligencer

Boeing, industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency have completed construction of a second interceptor test silo for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California …

Because a silo needs to be refurbished after its hot-burning interceptor is fired, having two underground test silos will allow one to support testing while the other is being refurbished, Boeing said. It said the new silo can be configured for testing or tactical operations. Vandenberg’s first test silo has been used in tests since 2006.

The Huntsville, Ala.-based Ground-based Midcourse Defense program has deployed more than 20 operational interceptors at Vandenberg and Fort Greely, Alaska, to defend against long-range ballistic missile threats.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/aerospace/archives/176792.asp?from=blog_last3

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Global Security Newswire
August 21, 2009

The United States plans to eliminate a blind spot in its space-based missile tracking capability within the next seven years, Aviation Week reported yesterday (see GSN, July 18).

An enemy ballistic missile now could be spotted by the Space-Based Infrared System or the Defense Support Program satellites shortly after launch, but the Defense Department must prepare the Space Tracking and Surveillance System for tracking a missile immediately after its boost phase, said Missile Defense Agency head Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly.

The Space Tracking and Surveillance System demonstration satellites, slated for launch in September, are intended to prove the effectiveness of space-based missile-tracking technology ahead of the wider system’s production and deployment.

The United States must eliminate the tracking gap to improve its odds of shooting down enemy missiles as they ascend, O’Reilly said. Improving U.S. capabilities to target missiles early in flight was one goal named in the Missile Defense Agency’s fiscal 2010 budget request.

O’Reilly hopes his agency can increase the velocity of U.S. missile interceptors by 2020. Such an improvement would help interceptors reach enemy missiles early in their flight, he said (Amy Butler, Aviation Week, Aug. 20).

www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20090821_3847.php

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VOA News
11 August 2009

A top Russian military officer says his country is developing new missiles to counter space-based missile systems that could soon be deployed by the United States.

Russian news agencies quote Air Force General Alexander Zelin as saying the new Russian missiles will also defend against airborne attacks.

General Zelin, speaking to reporters Tuesday in Moscow, said the United States by 2030 will have deployed satellite-based missile systems capable of striking targets anywhere in Russia.

General Zelin said the new Russian S-500 surface-to-air system under development will be capable of defeating “all manner of ballistic missiles and supersonic air devices”. …

Moscow has voiced strong opposition to U.S. plans to deploy a land-based missile defense system in central Europe, saying it will trigger a new arms race. U.S. officials have insisted the system, in Poland and the Czech Republic, in no way targets Russia or anyone else and is aimed at countering a possible attack from such states as Iran. …

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-08-11-voa26.cfm

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