Missle Defense: A Necessary Evil?

With the weakening Soviet Union came a relatively idle period in military advancement. The next significant event came during the Gulf War when the United States suffered its first casualty from a long-range missile care of Iraq’s Scud missiles. The US found that it was extremely difficult to find these launching sites, and re-focused on defending against these missiles, rather than trying to contain their advancement.

One of America’s first attempts at a missile defense system was Nike-Zeus. Developed during the Eisenhower Administration, this rough design called for a 400-kiloton radar-guided nuclear-armed missile that would intercept incoming missiles. (4) Problems with this first system were that the huge explosion used to stop these missiles was enough to disrupt radar, making the systems obsolete. Attention soon was focused upon the radar systems rather than the interceptor itself. Large numbers of missiles and decoys could often throw off these early radar systems. (4)

During the Cold War it was mutually agreed that installing a missile defense system would do more harm than good, but in present times many feel it necessary. The Missile Defense Association released the following statement as to why its necessary to employ a nation missile defense system: While the end of the Cold War signaled a reduction in the likelihood of global conflict, the threat from foreign missiles has grown steadily as sophisticated missile technology becomes available on a wider scale. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the ballistic and cruise missiles that could deliver them pose a direct and immediate threat to the security of U.S. military forces and assets in overseas theaters of operation, our allies and friends, as well as our own country.

From entering the atmosphere until the missile strikes is called the Terminal Phase. (5) Usually lasting under a minute, a Terminal Phase based defense system would not be able to secure a large area. The defensive system would have to be extremely close to the intended target for this option to be effective. Systems of this nature are intended to secure a specific area, for example a missile fields, troop concentration, or air field. (5)

In 1961, under the Kennedy Administration, Nike-X replaced the Nike-Zeus. (4) In this new system electronically guided long-rage missiles, called Spartans, would intercept Soviet missiles above the Earth’s atmosphere. The short-range Sprint missile was also part of Nike-X, taking care of missiles that survived the Spartan. (2) During this time many felt that deploying a missile defense system was the wrong answer.

though out history. To be technical about it would be to say the first ballistic weapons would have to be rocks thrown through the air quite like how countries throw missiles, followed by spears and other primitive weaponry. With the invention

Some topics in this essay:
, Terminal Phase, Boost Phase, Medal Science, Cold War, Nazi’s V-1, Nixon Administration, Midcourse Phase, Eisenhower Administration, Mountain Reagan, missile defense, defense system, missile defense system, radar systems, boost phase, ballistic missile, atmosphere missile, terminal phase, deploying missile defense, deploying missile, abm treaty, nixon administration, entering atmosphere missile, missile enters atmosphere,