In recent months, while most Americans were tuned into the presidential election, a new wave of disturbing global threats to the homeland went mostly unnoticed.
In August, North Korea attempted to launch two new Musadan ballistic missiles toward our allies in Japan that luckily didn’t make it far. And in October Russia unveiled its new RS-28 Sarmat thermonuclear-armed ballistic missile in a show of strength as it continues to reassert itself in Europe.
Musadan, though its launches failed, is well on its way to becoming a reliable system within just a few years, with a range that would carry it to Guam and Japan. In fact, new reports from the US military indicate North Korea has the capability to successfully launch a nuclear weapon.
RS-28 Sarmat, or Satan 2 (its predecessor was dubbed the Satan missile by NATO forces during the Cold War) reportedly can carry a nuclear payload more than 2,000 times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That is powerful enough to destroy the entire state of Texas. It’s also designed to move on an irregular trajectory, making it harder to shoot down.
China and Iran are also racing ahead with new missile technology. Yet, some of our politicians are mired in petty squabbling and seem content to insanely and dangerously underestimate the growing risk. Oddly, some even argue that improving our missile defense capabilities is “destabilizing” as a way of justifying doing nothing or almost nothing.
With a new Department of Defense led by the revered retired Gen. James Mattis, the Trump administration has a chance to reshape and strengthen the Obama administration’s approach to prioritizing our missile defense strategy.
While we recently honored the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor, we’re reminded of the human costs of not being prepared. The lives of more than 2,000 military personnel were lost that day. And while we always want to strive for peace, we often forget that when we feel safe, we are still vulnerable.
Serious ballistic missile threats are growing all around us, whether we like it or not. Though we may feel safe today, we can’t let that be a distraction to ensuring the ongoing security of the homeland.
Our current Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system has 30 ground based interceptors. There is a plan to add 14 more interceptors within the year. Even with the new interceptors, 44 is a very modest capability — particularly when it may take more than one shot to shoot down a single incoming missile. When one considers that Russia alone has hundreds of long-range missiles carrying multiple warheads, 44 interceptors is not an impressive commitment to missile defense. It isn’t even a half-hearted effort.
The kill vehicle sits atop the missile interceptor and is the device that tracks and finally intercepts and destroys the enemy missile. Once in the sky, the kill vehicle separates from the rocket. Then it tracks the incoming missile, discriminates between the real warhead and decoys, and finally locks in on the warhead and destroys it at a closing speed in excess of 15,000 miles per hour — vaporizing the warhead from the sheer kinetic energy.
In the long run, we need to pursue a robust, layered missile defense that relies on a wide array of technologies to properly meet and protect against risks at every range. Missile defense cannot be viewed as optional by the next administration.
Right now, we must improve and upgrade existing missile defense technologies. The problem is both the current administration and many in Congress want to divide our attention and resources between growing and evolving threats. The reality is we need to address them all, starting with the kill vehicle.
We need to continue updating our current kill vehicle, while also acquiring additional interceptors and developing the next generation kill vehicle. Doing only one puts us more at risk either right now or in the future. Doing all of the above in only half measures also makes us more at risk both now and in the future.
Nonetheless, too many in Washington seem to favor half measures. This sort of thinking only emboldens Russia’s Vladimir Putin and the mullahs of Iran. And it endangers America.
While shooting down missiles requires complicated engineering, on a political level, this issue really isn’t that complicated. We must continue with upgrades to our current kill vehicle. At the same time, we must develop the next generation kill vehicle that can shoot down multiple warheads with a single shot. We must be as strong as possible now and we must continue to keep our defenses strong. To do otherwise endangers us all.
But sadly, government is currently cutting funding for both upgrades to our current kill vehicle and for development of our next generation kill vehicle.
Americans everywhere must demand that the administration (both current and forthcoming) and Congress get serious about missile defense. Congress must provide adequate funding to expand our current missile defense capabilities and must properly fund development and deployment of new missile defense technology for the future. We should all take note of who in Congress stands in the way and make sure that is the last time they can obstruct America from defending itself.
George Landrith is president of Frontiers of Freedom. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.
