ACCESSION NUMBER:00000
FILE ID:96021603.POL
DATE:02/16/96
TITLE:16-02-96 DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORT, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16
TEXT:
(Ballistic Missile Defense) (450)
NO CHANGE IN U.S. BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE PRIORITIES
Reviewing current ballistic missile threats, Defense Secretary Perry
told reporters at the Pentagon February 16 that "the theater threat"
from short-range ballistic missiles "is here and now," while the
medium-range threat is "emerging."
Some nations, such as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, are
developing a medium-range capability, he said, while others, such as
Iran, are buying or trying to buy it. "We do not see a near-term
threat from the so-called rogue nations, but we cannot be complacent
about that," he explained, because a longer-range missile threat from
them "could emerge in the future."
Perry said it would take about 15 years for these countries to develop
a long-range missile capability which could threaten the United States
but that process "could be accelerated if these nations were capable
and...able to succeed in their programs to try to get an outside
acquisition of this capability."
Already declared nuclear weapons states, the secretary said, do not
pose a threat to the United States "in the foreseeable future."
Meanwhile, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology
Paul Kaminski announced the completion of a review of U.S. ballistic
missile defenses and said that the priorities have not changed. The
first priority will be to pursue a Theater Missile Defense (TMD)
program in the near-term to protect forces in the field and allies.
The second priority will be to establish a National Missile Defense
(NMD) to defend U.S. territory against intercontinental ballistic and
cruise missiles. The third priority is to support the underlying
technology base for the TMD and NMD programs.
Kaminski said the outcome of his study will result in a more balanced,
affordable, more easily executable program which is better matched to
the ballistic missile threat faced by the U.S.
He stressed that the Pentagon is not making any commitment yet to
deploy a nationwide defense program. But components for one will be
developed over the next three fiscal years so that, if a threat
warrants such a decision, a limited system could be deployed three
years after that (around 2003).
Despite Congressional criticism, Kaminiski said it "doesn't make
sense" to make a NMD deployment decision "in advance" of a threat.
"What we want to do is to be in a posture to be three years away from
deployment so that we can respond to any visible signs of the
emergence of a threat," he said. For now, there is no commitment to
any specific deployment option because defense officials believe it is
"too soon" to access it, he said.
NNNN
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
