The September 19, 2018 Washington Times published an article, entitled “Toward a Cost-Effective Ballistic Missile Defense,” by Rowland H. (Rhip) Worrell and me, which reviewed facts to back-up Undersecretary of Defense Michael Griffin’s claim that a space-based defense could be deployed for less than $20-billion. Read Full Story
“So far, the only promising [boost phase] defense system concept has been a space based or satellite borne interceptor. Such a system requires many thousands of interceptors in space, but at a given instant only a small fraction will be in a position to attack. The economic feasibility of such systems is heavily dependent upon equipment reliability and upon enemy countermeasures.” ~ Harold N. Beveridge in his 1960 Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) ‘Project Defender” report to the Director of Research and Engineering Read Full Story
The first four Directors of what is now the Missile Defense Agency believed we knew how to build a cost-effective space-based interceptor system called Brilliant Pebbles 30 years ago. Moreover, Brilliant Pebbles became the first product of President Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) to enter a formal Demonstration and Validation program, approved in 1990 by the Pentagon’s top acquisition executive. The fully vetted by the Pentagon cost estimators, in conjunction with outside expert critical reviews, estimated the cost for development, deployment and operations of 1000 space based interceptors for 20 years to be $20 billion in today’s dollars. We need to “go back to the future!” with today’s more advanced technology which should lead to lower costs. Read Full Story
“[O]ur nation as a whole has not looked at EMP, we have not looked at the critical infrastructure that could be damaged by EMP, and we need to take a step back and look at that entire threat because it is a realistic threat.” ~ USAF General John E. Hyten, Commander of U.S. Strategic Command Read Full Story
“[T}here’s a time when confluence of thought comes together and now it takes a leader to say, ‘The timing is right. I’m going to move it. And I feel comfortable with my grounds, I feel comfortable the American people will back this as a basic ideological concept. I feel comfortable that the technology is within grasp in 20 years. I feel comfortable that this gives us new hope.’ What else do you need? That’s what a vision is all about. And he had the guts to step out and do it.” ~Admiral James D. Watkins Read Full Story
“We propose to rebuild the key tools of missile defense, starting with the Navy cruisers that are the foundation of our missile defense capabilities in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. As we expand our Navy toward the goal of 350 ships, we will also procure additional modern destroyers that are designed to handle the missile defense mission in the coming years.” ~ Then Candidate Donald Trump, September 2016 in Philadelphia Read Full Story
“I strongly support missile defense and a robust U.S. nuclear deterrent as important components of defending the U.S. against catastrophic threats. In addition, however, there is much the Department can do in helping to prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from these catastrophic threats and events. Should I be confirmed, I will pay particular attention to these threats . . .” Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly Read Full Story
“President-elect Trump should direct the Pentagon to revive SDI plans for destroying ballistic missiles in their boost phase, shortly after launch — when a ballistic missile is most vulnerable and before it releases its nuclear warheads and decoys. We should not continue depending solely on the more expensive midcourse- and terminal-phase intercept capability.” … “How Trump Can Revive Reagan’s Defense Vision,” National Review, November 29, 2016 Read Full Story
“We propose to rebuild the key tools of missile defense, starting with the Navy cruisers that are the foundation of our missile defense capabilities in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. As we expand our Navy toward the goal of 350 ships, we will also procure additional modern destroyers that are designed to handle the missile defense mission in the coming years.”
Candidate Donald Trump, September 2016 Speech in Philadelphia
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“Those who do not learn from History are doomed to repeat it.” Variously attributed to George Santayana, Edmund Burke, Winston Churchill, . . . Whoever, inevitably true! Read Full Story
We will be adding key policy briefs as we progress.