Japan Wants Higher-Altitude BMD Research With US

MISSILE DEFENSE

Sea-based Standard Missile-3.

by Martin Sieff
UPI Senior News Analyst
Washington (UPI) May 16, 2007
Japan's defense minister called this week for a further extension and intensification of the already far-reaching ballistic missile defense cooperation between the two nations. The United States and Japan need to start cooperative work on developing new technologies to intercept and destroy high-altitude ballistic missiles, Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma said Tuesday, according to a Kyodo news agency report.

Kyodo said Kyuma was speaking in response to reports that North Korea has already built a new IRBM, or intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Such a development could change the strategic balance between Japan and North Korea. Japan's ambitious BMD program, vastly expanded and crafted by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi during his five years in office, is primarily designed to defend the home islands against shorter range ballistic missiles that would fly at low and intermediate altitudes. They would then be intercepted by either low-level Patriot PAC-3 interceptors or at intermediate altitudes by sea-based Standard Missile-3s guided by the Aegis radar system.

But according to Kyodo, Kyuma informed reporters that the latest developments by North Korea mean "there is a need to conduct technological research with the U.S. for high altitude as well."

Kyodo said Japanese defense experts believed the new North Korean Musudan IRBM was developed from the old Soviet submarine-launched SSN-6 ballistic missile. North Korea's work horse, the Taepodong-1 missile, has a range of about 900 miles, Kyodo noted. But the Musudan may have a range of more than double that, ranging from 1,500 miles to 2,400 miles. Kyodo quoted Japanese officials as saying the SM-3 was only capable of intercepting IRBMs with a range of up to 900 miles to 1,200 miles

Source: United Press International

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MISSILE DEFENSE

Czech Battle To Convince Hostile Public Over US Missile Shield

Rokycany, Czech Republic (AFP) May 16, 2007
Facing fierce grassroots opposition and fear over US plans to extend its anti-missile shield to central Europe, the Czech government has a daunting task on its hands. Officials have set out to win over public opinion by embarking on an information campaign, meeting ardent protesters face-to-face at local meetings in areas near the site earmarked for an American tracking radar.

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