U.S.-Poland Ballistic Missile Defense Pact Takes Effect

Poland and the U.S. have jointly announced that their ballistic missile defense agreement entered into force Thursday. The pact will see the deployment of land-based anti-missile batteries in the European country by 2018.

Missile Defence on Agenda of US-Australia Talks

SENIOR US government officials have confirmed that Washington intends to step up co-operation with Australia on missile defence.

Senate Panel OKs Defense Spending Freeze

The Senate Appropriations Committee voted unanimously Thursday for a defense spending bill that provides $513 billion for the Pentagon’s base budget, freezing spending at 2011 levels.

U.S. Use of Radar Data Risks a Turkish Backlash

WASHINGTON—The U.S. said it can use data collected from a high-powered missile-defense radar in Turkey to help defend Israel or other non-European allies, which risks sparking a public backlash in Turkey.

Obama Administration Defends Antimissile Plan

In the face of Republican skepticism, a top U.S. official on arms control on Friday reaffirmed the Obama administration’s position that its planned missile shield for Europe would not be constrained by language in a new nuclear arms control treaty with Russia, Politico reported (see GSN, Sept. 14).