The six-party talks, which began in 2003, constitute delegates from North and South Korea, China, the US, Russia and Japan and their objective is to find peaceful resolution to security concerns on the Korean Peninsula. The talks started after North Korea withdrew from the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the country walked-out of these negotiations in 2009 after introduction of the sanctions by the UNO.
To read about the possibility of resuming the talks see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8291882.stm.
Missile Defense Agency Directory Lt. General Patrick O’Reilly said that the United States has successfully shot down 39 of the last 45 missile intercept tests for an 86% success rate.
In the interview he said that, “In the past few years, all hit their mark, except one that had a manufacturing problem. It was fixed, and three weeks ago successfully hit its target in a test” he added that the, “the failures were mostly at the start of the testing.”
In the interview he also noted the increase in funding for the THAAD program saying, “The Defense Department recently committed an additional US$900 million toward fielding the Army’s theater high-altitude-area defense mobile missile defense system” and that “the agency has finished seven of eight required tests of the system.”
The Japanese Defense Ministry said it is looking for 176.1B yen in this years budget to bolster its missile defense budget. It is planning to use at least some of this money to purchase American Patriot Advanced Capability -3 systems. The PAC-3 system is the lower tier of the Japanese missile defense shield. The upper tier is comprised of the Aegis based Standard Missile-3.
Here is Senator Shelby’s op-ed to the University of Alabama newspaper, The Crimson White
“Threats require missile defense”
“For nearly 60 years, North Alabama has been the epicenter of our nation’s missile defense efforts. Now home to the Missile Defense Agency, Space and Missile Defense Command, Army Materiel Command and the Missile and Space Intelligence Center, Huntsville has consistently demonstrated its vital role in the research and development of hit-to-kill missile technology. Indeed, it was 25 years ago that the Army first successfully intercepted a missile with another missile. This accomplishment was once thought impossible, but the perseverance and intelligence of the Huntsville space, defense and engineering community demonstrated a level of achievement that would be replicated many times over in the years to come.
Huntsville’s efforts have undoubtedly enhanced the safety and security of our nation against threats from rogue nations such as Iran and North Korea. In the wake of several recent missile tests in North Korea, now is not the time to curtail these efforts. We must do more.
The current administration’s budget proposal reduces or eliminates several key programs critical to our national missile defense efforts. The reduction of Ground-based Midcourse Defense funding and the termination of both the Kinetic Energy Interceptor and Multiple Kill Vehicle programs are clearly the wrong steps to take at the wrong time.
Without question, we simply cannot roll back the progress we have made when our enemies are advancing their missile and nuclear capabilities. Today, there are 27 countries that have ballistic missile capability. Iran, China and Pakistan have all tested their capabilities in an effort to show the world that they too have achieved a certain level of missile technology. More importantly, North Korea not only tested several missiles in April, but detonated a nuclear weapon in May. These examples vividly illustrate the overarching reason the United States needs a strong missile defense system — the threat of a missile strike is real.
North Korea’s clear act of aggression should strengthen our resolve for a stronger national security strategy. We have made great strides over the past decade due in large part to the work of those in Alabama. Taking away from these efforts only reduces the level of protection afforded to the citizens of our country. Missile defense is critical to our national defense, and we must continue to develop an integrated, layered defense, especially in light of very real and ongoing threats around the world.”
Russia has said it has deployed its S-400 Triumf missile defense systems to its border with North Korea. The chief of the Russian general staff said the move is a defensive measure designed only to protect Russia from an errant North Korean missile test. While in the Mongolian capitol of UIanbatar He said that Russia is, “definitely concerned by the conditions under which tests are being carried out in North Korea, including nuclear devices” and that, “We are currently considering what the most effective measures would be to guarantee no debris would fall if a missile launch failed.”
The s-400 Triumf is a mobile land-based missile defense has a reported range of 400km or about 250 miles. The Russian city of Vladivostok has a population of around 600,000 people and is less than 100 miles from North Korea.
On August 18th the Airborne Laser (ABL) successfully fired its High Energy Laser (HEL) while flying. The test, called “First Light in Flight” shows the HEL’s ability to operate while flying. The plane took off from Andrews Air Force Base and fired the laser into an onboard calorimeter. A calorimeter is a device used to measure the characteristics and performance of the laser.
This most recent test is the second successful tests in as many weeks and represents a final stage of the flight tests. There is a lethal demonstration against a boost-phase missile planned for later this year.
Defense and security expert Peter Brookes recently put out an article entitled “Rogue States and Rising Powers Continue to Pose a Strategic Risk to American Security.” The report highlights different states and their strategic importance for American national security. While not all of the countries listed were important for missile defense purposes, I thought it would be useful to highlight his take on North Korea and Iran.
North Korea
“North Korea continues to be a significant threat to peace and stability, both on and beyond the Korean peninsula. The peaceful reunification of North and South Korea seems as distant as ever, and there are big questions about a successor to North Korea’s ailing Kim Jong-Il. The number of North Korean provocations just since the beginning of the year has been staggering.
On the conventional front, Pyongyang’s forward-deployed million-man army could lash out at South Korean and American forces across the DMZ at a moment’s notice. This spring, Pyongyang declared that it was no longer bound by the conditions of the 1953 Korean War armistice. On the strategic front, in April, it launched a long-range Taepo Dong ballistic missile with intercontinental-range potential. Pyongyang claimed that the launch was a satellite shot, but experts say that it was a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program. Another long-range missile test is expected in the coming weeks.
While walking out of the Six-Party talks aimed at containing North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, Pyongyang last month also conducted its second nuclear test in less than three years and reopened a shuttered nuclear facility that could be used to expand its nuclear arsenal. These recent missile and nuclear developments fuel concerns that North Korea is making progress on developing a warhead to fit atop the Taepo Dong ballistic missile that could reach American soil.”
Iran
Beyond its involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan and its role as the world’s most active state sponsor of terrorism, Iran is looking to project power across the region and beyond as it seeks to become the most powerful country in the Middle East and the Muslim world.
“Tehran’s effort to modernize its conventional forces by purchasing arms from Russia and China, while important, is dwarfed by its nuclear and ballistic missile efforts. Iran is almost assuredly involved in a nuclear weapons effort under the guise of a peaceful nuclear power program, and some experts believe it now has the wherewithal to produce a single nuclear device. It may be developing a nuclear warhead. With the Shahab-class missile, Tehran can already reach all of the Middle East and parts of Southeastern Europe.
But Iran’s ambitions seem to go beyond that. This spring, Iran launched its first indigenously produced satellite, putting Tehran on a trajectory to develop an ICBM capability that could be matched with its budding nuclear program.”
Check out this interview with Missile Defense Agency chairman Lt. General Patrick O’Reilly. In the interview he discusses the missile defense budget cuts and the future of missile defense
Every once in while, the Senate stands up and believes in something. Last week appeared to be one of those weeks, at least regarding the European missile defense system. Of course, it was politically expedient as well. It was impressive to see the Senate go on record to support missile defense. Maybe we’ll see more of this in October.
On the other hand, the Tehran Times see woefully uninformed about missile defense. Oh those “Zionists”, it says. The system won’t work the article wants to tell us. Too bad the European site could have some benefit to Israel and that Israel has some other options and doesn’t just give up.
Lastly, and expect more on this, North Korea continues to press the boundaries of rhetoric. Its words cross lines, but will its missiles.
Posted by missiledefense 
Posted by missiledefense 
Posted by missiledefense 
Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance