Japan To Develop Missile-Detecting Drones

The Ultimate Missile Defense: Drones? -- J. Michael Cole, The Diplomat

When back in April North Korea launched what the international community claimed was a ballistic missile, the country that had the most to fear from the launch — Japan — failed to track it, raising anxiety in Tokyo that its defenses against a missile attack by Pyongyang were insufficient.

Ironically, the reason why Japan’s ground radars and Aegis destroyers, backed by U.S. early-warning surveillance satellites, were unable to track the launch is because the launch was a failure: the object, which Pyongyang all along maintained was an orbiter, never reached high enough an altitude to allow for its detection.

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More News On Japan To Develop Missile-Detecting Drones

Report: Japan To Develop Missile-Detecting Drone -- Defense News/AFP
Japan plans development of missile-tracking UAVs -- NextGov
Japan To Develop UAVs To Detect Nuclear Missiles -- Defense World
Japan developing unmanned drones to counter China, North Korea attacks -- Japan Daily Press
Missile-tracking drones may scan skies from FY20 -- Daily Yomiuri Online

Arrow 2 Missile Defense System Successfully Tested

Arrow air defence weapon system concept. Defpro

Arrow 2 Missile Defense Successfully Tested -- Jerusalem Post

Missile defense system tested off California coast, destroys simulated Iranian missile; Barak calls development a milestone.

Israel conducted a successful test of the Arrow 2 ballistic missile defense system off the coast of California early on Tuesday morning, when it destroyed a target simulating an Iranian ballistic missile.

It was the 18th test of the Arrow, and the second in which the modified Arrow 2 was tested in its entirety, along with the Green Pine radar manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries.

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More News On The Arrow 2 missile Test

Arrow Test Hits Target, Validates New Software -- Defense News
Israel tests Arrow 2 anti-missile system -- Ynet News
Joint U.S.-Israel Arrow Weapon System Intercepts Target During Successful Missile Defense Test -- Defpro News
Israeli Arrow Antimissile System Eliminates Target in Test -- Global Security Newswire
'Arrow' Tested Successfully on US West Coast -- Arutz Sheva
Israel and U.S. successfully test anti-missile system -- Haaretz

Is There Any Way To Defend Against A Ballistic Missile?

From New Scientist:

IS THERE any way to stop a ballistic missile? It's a question raised by a report criticising the US government's missile interceptor plan for Europe.

Ted Postol of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and George Lewis of Cornell University analysed publicly released videos of tests of the Standard Missile 3 (SM-3), which the US plans to deploy on ships in the Black Sea. The SM-3 is a surface-to-air missile with extra power and sensors. Though its low weight gives it the flexibility to be launched at sea, the researchers reckon only one or two of the 10 tests destroyed a warhead. The analysis was published in the May issue of Arms Control Today.

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An Analysis On Ballistic Missile Defense From The CBO

CBO On Ballistic Missile Defense -- Information Dissemination

On Wednesday Matthew S. Goldberg, CBO’s Acting Assistant Director of the National Security Division, testified before the House Budget Committee regarding the long-term implications of the fiscal year 2010 budget submission for the Department of Defense (DoD). The statement released with his testimony is here (PDF), and below is the CBO cost projections of the ballistic missile defense decision.

DoD’s Plans to Change Ground-Based Missile Defense Systems. In April 2009 the Secretary of Defense announced plans to freeze the current number of ground-based interceptors in Alaska as part of the ground-based midcourse missile defense system that is intended to defend the United States against limited ballistic missile attacks from North Korea or Iran. The plan would continue funding for research and development to improve the nation’s ability to defend against long-range ballistic missiles. DoD also announced plans to upgrade six Navy Aegis warships to perform the ballistic missile defense mission at a total cost of $200 million.

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My Comment: Another good review and analysis on the costs and logistics behind certain aspects of missile defense.

Russia Starting To Voice Their Concerns On US Missile Defense Plans

Russia Concerned By U.S. Missile Shield Talks With Non-NATO States -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, October 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is concerned by U.S. missile defense talks with countries outside NATO, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday.

The statement came following reports on talks between the United States and Ukraine on the possible use of the latter's radars or deployment of a new radar in the ex-Soviet state as part of the American missile defense program.

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More News On Russia's Reaction To U.S. Missile Defense

Russia says concerned over U.S. missile defense talks -- Washington Post/Reuters
Reports: Russia warns US on missile defense -- AP
Russia says questions remain over U.S. missile-defense plans -- RIA Novosti
"Questions" Remain Over New U.S. Missile Defense Plan, Russia Says -- Global Security Newswire

My Comment: The Russian press has been acting as the bull horn for Russian government and military officials who are deeply concerned with the direction that U.S. missile defense is now taking in Europe and the Middle East .... and to say that they are concerned is an understatement.

Unlike the anti-missile defense system that was to be positioned in Poland, the Aegis system has been proven to work .... and U.S. intent is to now position this system (in large numbers) in the Middle East and neighboring states. The fact that the Ukraine has been approached for providing a base to assist in the radar/tracking aspects of this anti-missile defense system has only furthered increased anxieties in Moscow.

I expect a tipping point to be reached in which U.S. - Russian relations are going to be the following .... one side accommodating and friendly, and on the other side to be hostile and confrontational. Either way .... we are all heading into rough waters and a period of time in which doubts and a lack of trust will be the symbol of U.S. - Russian relations.

Missile Defense -- A Commentary

Airborne Laser Photo: USAF Photo by Jim Shryne

A Laser Defense Hit -- Wall Street Journal

The Airborne Laser scores a hit, even as its budget is being cut.

Never has Ronald Reagan's dream of layered missile defenses—Star Wars, for short—been as politically out of favor as in the Age of Obama. Nor as close, at least technologically, to becoming realized.

The latest encouraging news came Thursday courtesy of the Misssile Defense Agency. The Airborne Laser prototype aircraft this week found, tracked, engaged and simulated an intercept with a missile seconds after liftoff. It was the first time the Agency used an "instrumented" missile to confirm the laser works as expected. Next up this fall will be the first live attempt to bring down a ballistic missile, but this test confirms how far along this innovative effort has come.

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My Comment: I remembered when President Reagan made his Oval Office speech in support of missile defense, his critics in government, the media, and the academic community lambasted his idea as ludicrous at best, "insane" at worse. Senator Kennedy was the fiercest critic, with him and his Democratic colleagues labeling it as Star Wars.

25 years later .... the idea is no longer ludicrous or insane, but very workable and realistic. Unfortunately .... even with the great promise that it shows, this is a project that is going to die this year.

Budget deficits of almost $2 trillion dollars is going to result in massive budget cuts occurring everywhere .... and this particular program .... with its history .... is/will be the first to be gone.