Is The U.S. Preparing To Revive Space-Based Missile Defense?

A Hsiung Feng-3 anti-ship missile is fired from the Tuo Jiang stealth corvette, one of the many missiles the US is determined to have the technology to intercept. Photo: Handout

Stephen Bryen, Asia Times: Is the US reviving space-based missile defense?

There is evidence that points in that direction, but foreign cooperation is being ruled out for now.

There is growing evidence that the US Defense Department is reviving space-based missile defense, ostensibly to counter the rise in hypersonic missiles, which can allegedly bypass conventional missile defense systems including Patriot, THAAD, Ground-Based Mid-Course Interceptor and sea and land-based SM-3 Aegis-type interceptors.

That’s because of the speed and maneuverability of hypersonic missiles such as Russia’s Zircon 3M22 sub or ship-launched hypersonic missile and others that may be in the Russian pipeline. China also is actively testing hypersonic platforms.

Last year China tested three hypersonic models – labeled D18-1S, D-18-2S and D-18-3S – and a hypersonic glider that can be launched by a rocket, called Starry Sky 2 (Xing-Kong-2), a “wave-rider” platform that rides its own shock waves.

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WNU Editor:  Developments in hypersonic missile defense has changed the playing field. I would be surprised if the U.S. is not seriously looking at reviving space-based missile defense.