VISUALIZING THE FRUITS OF RUSSIA'S STRATEGIC MODERNIZATION
By the middle of the next decade, Russia's ballistic missile arsenal will be smaller, but made up overwhelmingly of new and upgraded technology, a top Russian military officer has said. "Plans for the development of the Russian strategic rocket forces through 2016 foresee a decrease in quantity and a transformation in quality at the same time," the Agence France Presse (April 13) reports Nikolai Solovtsov, the head of Russia's strategic rocket forces, as telling reporters. "Rocket systems with an extended shelf life will account for roughly 20 percent, while new rocket systems for at least 80 percent of the forces."
THE NORTH KOREAN THREAT: THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW
North Korea's recent test of a long-range rocket drew stern words from Washington, which dubbed the launch provocative. Subsequent U.S. difficulties in securing a UN resolution condemning the North Korean test, however, left the impression that America was the only Security Council member concerned over the DPRK's ballistic missile capabilities - at least, until now. RIA Novosti (April 10) reports Russian air force officials as saying that air defenses deployed in the country's Far East are capable of intercepting North Korean missiles, if the need to do so ever arises. "Russia's air defenses in the Far East are capable of shooting down missiles of the type launched by North Korea," Lieutenant-General Vadim Volkovitsky, the chief-of-staff of the Russian air force, has said. As for the DPRK's recent rocket launch, Russia "radars monitored the missile flight for about 15-20 seconds."
IRON DOME INCHES FORWARD
If all goes well, Israel's new system for countering short-range threats will become operational next year. That's the word from Israeli defense firm Rafael, the maker of the "Iron Dome." Tel Aviv's Ha'aretz newspaper (April 10) reports that a prototype system of the anti-rocket system, intended to counteract short-range rockets such as those fielded by Lebanon's Hezbollah militia or the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, passed an operational test in March. Another trial of the system is planned for this summer, with the first "Iron Dome" unit to be delivered to the Israeli Air Force by year's end. Current plans call for the system to be inducted into service early next year, with an Air Force battalion formed to support the system's operations.
NAVY MISSILE DEFENSE COMES OF AGE
As part of its growing role in missile defense, the U.S. Navy has established a dedicated command to oversee the service's air and missile defense duties. According to the Navy News Service (April 30), the command - known as the Navy Air and Missile Defense Command - was inaugurated on April 30th at the Naval Support Facility in Dahlgren, Virginia. The new command will be directed by Rear Admiral Alan B. Hicks, and is part of the Pentagon's efforts "to field a naval capability that is equally adept servicing national missile defense of the United States, regional missile defense for our allies and friends abroad and theater defense for our forward fighting forces," according to Admiral Robert Willard, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
JAPAN REACHES FOR THE STARS
The Kyodo News Service (April 28) reports that a top advisory panel for the Japanese government has recommended that Tokyo begin research on space satellite sensors capable of detecting ballistic missile launches. The sixteen member panel of private-sector experts consults for the country's year-old space strategy headquarters. Japan is currently developing its first five year space strategy, which will lay out the country's strategic priorities in space through the year 2013.
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