CAT-AND-MOUSE OVER GAZA ROCKETS
"Iron Dome" has proven to be a worthy countermeasure to rocket attacks on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, but recent attacks have exposed its limitations. Ha'aretz (August 22) reports that Israel’s newest anti-missile system, which is designed to intercept rockets targeting densely populated areas, is being challenged by the evolving tactics of Gaza terrorist groups, which have sought to overwhelm the system by simultaneously launching multiple rockets against residential areas such as Beer Sheva. The Israeli military, however, is adapting to compensate; Iron Dome is being tweaked to improve its performance, and two additional batteries of the system have been green-lighted for deployment in the coming half-year.
TAIWAN SCRAMBLES FOR MISSILE DETERRENT
The Peoples Republic of China's so-called “peaceful rise” on the world stage has included a major, sustained expansion in the country's missile arsenal - and Taipei is taking notice. Defense News (August 22) reports that Taiwan has responded to Beijing’s continual buildup of weapons by budgeting 30 million Taiwanese dollars ($1.04 million) to begin development of long-range precision strike missiles. While the sum is still only nominal, the objective is clear; according to Lin Yu-fang, a Taiwanese lawmaker who sits on the island nation's National Defense Committee, “In case of war, Taiwan would be able to use the weapon to strike the air defense and ballistic missile bases deployed along China’s southeastern coastline.”
DEBATING MISSILE DEFENSE IN EUROPE
NATO member states are continuing to debate the shape of the potential missile defense system for Europe, Aviation Week reports in its August 24th edition. France has openly objected to a system that would rely exclusively on U.S. technology, preferring a more indigenous option. However, given the significant funding constraints, that course of action may prove cost prohibitive, according to the trade weekly. A better way forward may be to equip German and Dutch ships with U.S.-made SM-3 missiles, as NATO officials have suggested. The only concrete funding that has been committed for the system to date, however, has been to link NATO systems with the command and control architecture of the United States.
TAKING RUSSIA TO COURT OVER MISSILE DEFENSE
Iran is now relying on the international courts to force Russia to complete a controversial sale of anti-missile batteries. The Russian government signed a contract in 2007 to provide five batteries of the advanced S-300 missile defense system to Iran, but has failed to deliver the weapons, ostensibly because of prohibitions on arm sales to Iran imposed by the UN Security Council. Earlier this year, RIA Novosti (August 24) reports, the Islamic Republic filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Arbitration to compel delivery of the system, arguing that defensive arms are not part of the UN ban. Officials in Tehran fully expect the court to side with them - and when it does, to provide Russia with the "legal grounds to fulfill its obligations."
INDIA'S MISSILE DEFENSE GRID TAKES SHAPE
India's work on a missile shield capable of neutralizing the threat from rival Pakistan is proceeding apace. Since 1996, New Delhi has been developing an anti-missile grid to defend against the Pakistani ballistic missile arsenal (and, increasingly, that of China as well). Today, that system is making serious progress; the Business Standard (August 29) reports Dr. Avinash Changer, the Chief Controller for Missiles and Strategic Systems of India's official Defense Research and Development Organization, as saying that an "effective ABM system for a single city" is expected "within 3 years from now." Following that time, work will continue to provide coverage to other cities in India.
Want these sent to your inbox?
Subscribe
