In Depth Analysis, Commentary, and Publications
The defense authorization act signed into law in December 2016 contained an important provision mandating a review of missile defeat policy, strategy, and capability, to be completed and submitted to Congress in January 2018. This Missile Defeat Review (MDR) appears likely to serve as a successor to both the Department of Defense’s 2010 Ballistic Missile...
In the series finale of the television show Breaking Bad, chemistry teacher-turned meth kingpin Walter White breaks into the home of an ex-business partner, who out of fear arms himself with a butter knife. “If we’re gonna go that way,” White says dryly, “you’ll need a bigger knife.” The man knows he cannot compete, and...
The national defense authorization act signed into law in 2016 contained a provision mandating a review of missile defeat policy, strategy, and capability, to be completed and submitted to Congress by January 2018...
Note: This appears as Chapter 3 in Missile Defense and Defeat: Consideration for the New Policy Review. Anticipating the 2017 Review of U.S. Missile Defense Policy and Posture Brad Roberts As the new national security team comes together in early 2017, it will launch into a number of major policy reviews, some of its own...
Note: This appears as Chapter 4 in Missile Defense and Defeat: Consideration for the New Policy Review. Missile Defense Review 2.0 Henry A. Obering III Since 2004, ballistic missile defense (BMD) has become a core competency of the U.S. military and a key element of our overall national security strategy. When discussing the future of...
Note: This appears as Chapter 5 in Missile Defense and Defeat: Consideration for the New Policy Review. A Vector Check for America’s Missile Defense: Assessing the Course for the Trump Administration Kenneth Todorov The reality of a Trump administration has given rise to a wave of euphoria about increased Pentagon budgets, new possibilities for hawkish...
Note: This appears as Chapter 2 in Missile Defense and Defeat: Consideration for the New Policy Review. A New Missile Defense Review Keith B. Payne This analysis seeks to place consideration of ballistic missile defense (BMD) in its broad strategic context by examining the U.S. policy frameworks that have defined the metrics used to judge...
Note: This appears as Chapter 6 in Missile Defense and Defeat: Consideration for the New Policy Review. Five Paths to Maturing Missile Defense: Toward the 2017 Review Thomas Karako In 2016, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump pledged to “develop a state of the art missile defense system,” and to “rebuild the key tools of missile defense.”...
Nations around the world continue to develop a growing range of ballistic and cruise missiles to asymmetrically threaten U.S. forces, allies, and the American homeland. Missile defenses have now become an essential part of U.S. defense policy and strategy, and their importance shows no sign of diminishing.
U.S. nuclear deterrent forces have long been the foundation of U.S. national security and the highest priority of the Department of Defense. As President-elect Donald Trump has observed, nuclear weapons pose “the single greatest threat” to the nation. In the coming year, the new administration will review the state of U.S. nuclear forces, the nation’s...
