Naval NMD: The concept of expanding NMD seawards*

Abstract

The aims of the land‐based National Missile Defence (NMD) have grown over the years. The requirement for additional flexibility and robustness for the system has led to the realization that these problems could be partially tackled by the introduction of additional mobile sea‐based elements (and certain space‐based components, to be added much later with the system. The precise architecture of such a system will be decided later, depending on the threat perception, technological advance and variables like the use of Navy‐backed, upgraded versions of NTW Block II along with the Aegis‐class ships, for integration with the land‐based NMD. The addition of boost phase interception capability to the Naval NMD sea‐based component—the Aegis class, is fraught with numerous problems both operational and technological. Some studies have estimated that the deployment of such a sea‐based NMD system could be achieved at a low cost and within a short period of time. The reality is that such a system development is not going to be “fast or cheap” and will definitely not be very “easy”, considering the various technological challenges that need to be overcome. Given the Bush Administration's determination to overcome the ABM Treaty problem and deploy some sort of a viable and enlarged NMD by the end of its tenure, it is a foregone conclusion that the Naval NMD gets the go‐ahead for its development and deployment. This system is the missile shield of the future and will gradually evolve into a “globo‐shield” or configure itself into something of a “global security architecture”.