Missile Defense Briefing Report: No. 323

INDIA TAPS ISRAEL FOR MISSILE SHIELD PARTNERSHIP
China has increasingly replaced Pakistan as India’s top strategic concern, and India’s forces are adapting in response. In the latest related development, Israeli missile defense heavyweights Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries have partnered with New Delhi’s state-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited to jointly develop a missile defense architecture capable of countering Chinese nuclear and conventional missiles. The program incorporates is a mix of new and old, featuring elements of India’s existing indigenous Prithvi air defense system interceptors combined with mobile detection systems. The yet-to-be-named program has been in negotiations for six months and should be finalized in the next half-year. (Defense News, February 6, 2014)

MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY HOPES FOR A RAISE
Despite years of cutbacks in missile defense funding, the Pentagon is lobbying lawmakers for a new, higher budget to combat threats. Funding for a new homeland defense radar, likely in Alaska, as well as additional resources to address recent testing failures by both versions of the kinetic-kill interceptor of the Ground Based Mid-Course Defense (GMD) System are behind the increased budget request. The development has been given added urgency by the Obama administration’s plan to purchase 14 more interceptors to counter threats from North Korea, and by the fact that a replacement for the Ground Based Interceptor missile is still some five years away. (Reuters, February 7, 2014; Aviation Week, February 12, 2014)

IRAN, U.S. BEG TO DIFFER ON MISSILES
The interim deal reached between Iran and the West is intended to address Iran’s nuclear agreement, but it almost certainly will not stop Iran from boosting its offensive missile capabilities. This point was recently made by Iran’s defense minister, Abbas Araqchi, who declared on the eve of new diplomatic talks that “defense-related issues are a red line for Iran.” U.S. officials, however, think otherwise. "Every issue is on the table as part of the comprehensive negotiations, including Iran's ballistic missile program,” a senior U.S. official has been quoted as saying. Washington’s position has been reinforced by recent findings on the part of the International Atomic Energy Agency that Tehran has attempted to pair nuclear weapons with the medium-range Shahab-3 missile. ((Washington Free Beacon, February 10, 2014; Wall Street Journal, February 18, 2014)

TEHRAN EYES S-300 ALTERNATIVE
Tehran is still waiting for Moscow to make good on its $800 million deal, signed back in 2007, to provide Iran with units of its advanced S-300 missile defense system. But with Western pressure and UN sanctions still in place, there is no delivery date in sight, so Iran developed the Bevar 373 as a substitute. Touted as “more powerful” than the S-300 and is capable of tracking and identifying more than 100 targets simultaneously, the system is now scheduled to become operational in 2015, Iranian officials say. (Tehran Fars, February 15, 2014)

ISRAEL EYES AIRLINER DEFENSE...
The airborne laser program is back, but not as it was originally conceived of by the U.S. Israel has reportedly developed a laser system to protect civilian airliners from missile attack. The SkyShield Multi-Spectral Infrared Countermeasure, or MUSIC, system is comprised of a laser and a thermal camera, which detects the incoming missile and deflects it. The system has been in development by Israel’s Elbit Systems, and has now completed live-fire testing. It is not clear when the system will be deployed, but Israel intends to outfit all of its airliners with the system. (Engadget, March 2, 2014)

...AS OBAMA BUDGET TAKES A BITE OUT OF ITS BMD PROGRAM
The budgetary wars in Washington could have a very real effect on the ground in Israel. President Obama’s newly released FY2015 budget includes a significant cut of almost $200 million in funding for Israeli missile defense programs. The Israeli Cooperative Programs—which include the Iron Dome, Arrow II, Arrow III, and David’s Sling missile defense systems—could all potentially suffer as a result. These programs are a key issue for Israel, and have been vigorously defended by members of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, who have advocated increased funding for the Iron Dome system. Amid an uptick in attacks from regional militants, and against the backdrop of negotiations between the P5+1 powers and Iran, news of the funding drawdown has struck a raw nerve in Jerusalem. (Washington Free Beacon, March 5, 2014)