January 24, 2005 :: Analysis
Taylor Dinerman writes a fine piece for The Space Review on the need for missile defense budget cuts, if they are indeed to come, to be properly managed. If, as reported, the Missile Defense Agency must cut five billion dollars over the next six years, choices have to be made. Dinerman notes that “press reports indicate they have three choices: cut a little here and a little there, hoping to save all of their ongoing programs; cut the Airborne Laser (ABL); or cut the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI). Sitting outside MDA, the answer is obvious, to wit, kill KEI.”
Dinerman goes on to recount the difficulties of the KEI design. While boost phase intercept is desirable, doing so with land-based interceptors is quite problematic, since they are very vulnerable to the problem of being in just the right place at just the right time. Dinerman then goes on to support perseverance with the promising sea-based Aegis defenses, as well as the Airborne Laser, but most importantly points to a more fundamental solution yet:
What is needed is to renew work on space-based boost-phase interceptors. The political obstacles are formidable indeed, but the case for Brilliant Pebbles or similar systems is as valid now as it was when the system was canceled by the late Les Aspin with the notorious quip, “I’m going to take the stars out of Star Wars.” Orbiting BPI weapons will not only give the US the capability to shoot down long-range missiles aimed at us but, and more importantly, it could allow the US to smother regional ballistic missile exchanges. Pick your own favorite nuclear missile nightmare scenario, and imagine how it would be changed if both sides found that their rockets were being knocked out of the sky. In a world full of nuclear proliferation, space-based BPI would be the ultimate diplomatic tool.
(Article)
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