Successful Theater Missile Defense: Decentral Execution of National Priorities

Abstract

Abstract : The merger of National, Theater and Cruise missile defense into the Integrated Missile Defense (IMD) architecture is flawed in how it addresses the regional threat posed by theater ballistic missiles. Theater ballistic missiles provide little or no prior warning to launch and have significantly shorter flight times than inter-continental ballistic missiles. The centralized command and control system evolving for the IMD architecture is sub-optimized for theater missile threat characteristics. This paper examines two notional cases of a theater threat to investigate this theory. It is proposed that a centrally developed theater engagement priority list, developed by the entity conducting national missile defense with input from Regional Combatant Commanders, be developed and decentrally executed by Regional Combatant Commanders. This architecture will allow the most efficient response to a theater threat by streamlining the engagement timeline and providing Regional Commanders more latitude in the deployment of forces that are OPCON to them.