In discussions on missile defense, the matter of countermeasures—decoy warheads and other deceptive missile payloads—is often invoked but insufficiently explored. For decades, popular commentators assumed that adversaries could readily develop countermeasures capable of defeating U.S. missile defense systems. With Russia and China having deployed missile defense countermeasures in their nuclear arsenals, it was assumed that...
Affordable mass has become the watchword of defense modernization, be it swarms of drones or satellite constellations. What could such an approach mean for air and missile defense? Networks of passive, proliferated sensors could make one meaningful contribution.
Missile defense modernization depends on more than hardware. Civilian weather agencies like NOAA and NASA play a quiet but critical role.
Open-source model regulation is the hottest debate in AI policy. Despite appeals made to national security, proposed constraints on open-source AI distribution might put defense supply chains at risk. This brief assesses those implications for the Joint Force.
New analysis identifies steps to improve the Department of Defense’s missile-tracking satellite constellation.
As the Department of Defense begins to deploy a space-based sensor constellation, Getting on Track unpacks the design tradeoffs involved and key pitfalls to avoid. Using advanced simulation tools, the authors underscore the necessity of diversifying satellite orbits, designing constellations for early, persistent coverage, and retaining requirements for fire-control-capable sensors.
This report provides a fresh assessment of key issues related to boost-phase defense, including the ways missile threats are evolving and broader technological trends.
On March 24, North Korea flight tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from a site off its east coast. South Korean authorities announced that the missile, reported elsewhere as the Hwasong-17, reached a maximum altitude of 6,200 km and a range of 1,080 km from its launch site, while Japanese officials stated that the “new...
Today's U.S. missile defense architecture is designed for legacy ballistic missiles, but may be adapted to counter hypersonic threats.
