A NEW END TO NEW START
The U.S. Senate may have approved New START – the new arms control pact concluded between Washington and Moscow – late last year, but Russia is forging ahead with the modernization of its strategic arsenal. The January 24th edition of NewsMax reports that a little-known Russian defense-industrial firm known as Robobshemash is spearheading the development of a replacement intercontinental ballistic missile for Russia’s aging SS-18. The effort, launched by the Kremlin in 2009, is slated to be completed by 2017, at which time Russia will field the still-unnamed ICBM, which is permitted under the terms of New START. To support its development, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin reportedly has promised over $670 billion in new military spending over the next decade.
SEOUL EYES LONGER RANGE STRIKES
South Korea and the U.S. have begun talks to revise the longstanding ballistic missile agreement between the two countries. According to the January 19th Korea Herald (January 19), the move – which comes amid renewed regional provocations from North Korea – entails the revision of bilateral agreements to allow Seoul to develop ballistic missiles with ranges greater than 300 kilometers and payloads heavier than 500 kilograms. In light of growing regional security concerns, South Korean military officials and civilian experts now believe that the range of the South’s ballistic missile arsenal should be extended up to 1,000 kilometers, in order to bring all of North Korea’s territory within striking range. Such a step, however, would need to be taken in consultation with the United States, given the elaborate and long-running military and security relationship between Seoul and Washington.
ROMANIA’S QUEST FOR A MISSILE DEFENSE ROLE
As NATO and the U.S. move forward with plans to create a missile defense shield against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles from the Middle East, the former Soviet satellite of Romania is seeking to solidify its role. The Agence France Presse (January 20) reports that Romania, which was officially invited by President Obama to deploy elements of the Obama administration’s revamped plans for a European missile shield, hopes to finalize its status in the project this year. “The United States remain our strategic partner and our main ally in the field of security. Today, the main vector of our cooperation is the anti-missile shield,” Romanian President Traian Basescu has told reporters. “We wish to conclude this year the bilateral negotiations."
A CRITICAL HURDLE FOR INDIA’S SHIELD
The Global Security Newswire (January 19) reports that India is preparing for a key test of its new ballistic missile defense shield. The new, two-tier system developed by the country’s Defense Research and Design Organization, or DRDO, is designed to eliminate incoming targets at altitudes of as much as 93 miles, providing Delhi with additional response time in the event of a missile attack. If the test succeeds, the system will be on track to come online no later than 2015.
TAIWAN’S FAILED ATTEMPT AT DETERRENCE
Taiwan’s recent, very public demonstration of missile defense capabilities has fallen flat, the Associated Press (January 21) reports. According to the news agency, a high-profile test launch of 19 air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles at an air base in southern Taiwan fizzled when six of the missiles failed. The test, designed in part to bolster the deterrent capability of Taiwan’s aging air force against potential Chinese aerial encroachment, was presided over personally by Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou in an attempt to demonstrate his commitment to an effective Taiwanese deterrent, following widespread criticism that his policies of rapprochement with the Chinese mainland have effectively undermined the island nation’s defenses. "I'm not satisfied with the results," Ma told reporters following the failed drills. "I hope the military will find out the reasons and improve its training."
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