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Missile Defence
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Background
Technical setbacks in the early days
Early attempts to develop missile defence systems during the Cold War by
the US and Soviet Union were confronted with technical difficulties.
In the 1960s the Soviets developed the Galosh anti-ballistic missile system
around Moscow. Galosh was intended to use nuclear-armed interceptors to
shoot down incoming missiles.
The US also started work on a number of anti-ballistic missile programmes
and in the early 1970s deployed the Safeguard anti-ballistic missile system
in North Dakota to defend its nuclear forces. Safeguard was abandoned in
1976 due to high costs and limited capability.
In 1972 the US and the Soviet Union signed the Anti-Ballistic
Missile Treaty, in response to concerns that ABM systems were having
a destabilising effect by encouraging development of the nuclear arms race
between East and West. The ABM treaty limited the two countries to possession
of two anti-ballistic missile installations each and forbade the development
of a nation-wide missile defence system.
Reagan and the drive for Star Wars
In the 1980s President Ronald Reagan revived US interest in ballistic missile
defence with the Strategic Defence Initiative (commonly known as Star Wars).
The Star Wars shield was envisaged as being partly based in space, including
new and completely untried ideas such as space lasers.
The Reagan Administration poured money into the Star Wars project, but the
concept was widely derided as science fiction by much of the scientific
community. It was denounced as provocative by the Soviet Union and regarded
with scepticism by European allies, except for Margaret Thatcher who gave
it her backing.
Star Wars was never deployed. After Reagan left office the political drive
for missile defence declined with the plans and much of the funding fading
away.
Clinton postpones decision on Missile Defence
Although missile defence had a lower profile under the Clinton Administration,
money continued to be put into missile defence projects during the 1990s.
In 1999, under pressure from Republicans in the US Congress, the Clinton
Administration announced increased funding for National Missile Defence
and Theatre Missile Defence programmes.
In the run up to the US 2000 presidential election Clinton came under intense
pressure to authorise full national missile defence development even though
missile interception tests had all failed partially or completely. He put
off a decision on the matter.
Bush boosts Star Wars
Following his appointment as President, George W. Bush
announced large increases in funding for a
wide range of missile defence programmes in 2001, including land-based,
sea-based, air-based and space-based systems. In December 2001, Bush announced
that the US would withdraw from the ABM treaty in order to develop missile
defence.
In December 2002, despite warnings from many scientists that it would
not be feasible, Bush announced that the US would deploy an initial
missile defence system by 2004-05 using ground-based and sea-based
interceptor missiles.
On 5 February 2003, British Secretary of State for Defence Geoff Hoon
MP announced that the
UK had given its consent to the United States to use RAF Fylingdales
in Yorkshire as part of the US missile defence system.
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