NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAM (a.k.a. Star Wars) Marsha Davis CS- 403 Authoring techniques in Computer Aided Instruction Dr. Netiva Caftori

Primary Objective The objective of the National Missile Defense program is to develop and maintain the option to deploy a cost effective, operationally effective and Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty compliant system that will protect the United States against limited ballistic missile threats, including accidental or unauthorized launches or Third World threats.

The National Missile Defense program came into existence during the early 1960 when scientists and technicians worked on such a system, however, the less feasible it seemed. In 1972, President Richard Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev agreed to the Anti- Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty which forbade both sides from deploying a national missile-defense system, and restricted the testing which might make such a system possible. Background History of NMD

Presidential Administration’s Agenda for Missile Defense Reagan’s Administration-Despite passage of the ABM treaty, the Reagan administration took up the cause again the 1980’s. Ultimately, the Reagan administration spent tens of billions of dollars on the development of missile defense which the vast majority of scientists knew couldn’t work. Reagan promised a “nuclear shield” that would achieve an “ultimate security” for the American people, such a system was never even conceivable. Bush Administration-(Father) - proposed a limited system, renamed “ Global Protection Against Accidental Launch System”. This system was proposed to protect Americans against an accidental launch. Bush also called for the development of Theater Missile Defense programs against shorter-range missiles. By the end of the Bush administration, over $100 billion had been spent on anti-missile research, with virtually nothing to show for it.

Presidential Administration’s Agenda for Missile Defense The Clinton Administration -- devised a “Three-Plus-Three program which supported development of a national missile-defense system over three years. This program support the use of twenty ground-based interceptors, which could block missiles launched by accidental launches. However, Clinton plan could not protect the United States from major ballistic-missile strike. Estimates of the system’s cost ranged from $30 to $60 billion. The Bush Administration(Son) -- has called for early deployment of a national missile defense system. The systems under discussion include the mid-course, land-based system proposed by the Clinton Administration, but also “boost- phase” system, sea-based systems, expanded theater defenses, outer-space laser systems, and nuclear systems. The cost of the proposed system has not been determine yet

Design The National Missile Defense system, when fully deployed, would include 1. Space -and ground-based sensors to provide early warning of attacking missiles and to initially identify and track them; 2. Ground-based radar to further identify and track the threatening warheads and assess whether the system destroyed the warheads; 3. Ground-based interceptors, each consisting of a three-stage booster and payload (called a kill vehicle) capable of guiding itself to collide with and destroy incoming warheads (a concept called hit- to-kill) outside the earth’s atmosphere; and 4. A battle management, command, control, and communications system.

The Basics of Ballistic Missile Defense All ballistic missile share a common, fundamental element The missiles follow a ballistic trajectory which includes three phases Phase I ---Boost Phase Phase II –Mid-Course Phase Phase III – Terminal Phase

The Boost Phase --- is the phase in which the missile has been just launched and is thrusting to gain the acceleration needed to reach its target. This phase usually last 3 to 5 minutes and the missile is traveling on the rim or outside the earth’s atmosphere. The Post-Boost Phase -- During this phase the missile has released the last of the reentry vehicle The Mid-Course Phase --- During this phase the missile is free falling towards it target. Also, during the phase the missiles is arming itself with it weapons ( which are known as warheads) Normally this phase can last about 20 minutes. The Final Phase --- (a.k.a. the terminal phase) During this phase the missile’s warheads renters the earth’s atmosphere at incredible speeds, some at over 2,000 mpp.

Cost Today the United States has spent roughly $122 billion dollars on various missile defense programs 69 billion has been spent for research and development of such a potential system, rather than production. The actual building of the space-based systems proposed will cost well over $200 billion dollars.

American Opinion Poll

The troubles the Missile Defense System will face Low orbiting satellites will have to find and track with pinpoint accuracy complex warheads traveling at 15,000 miles which are surrounded by dozens of decoys This information has to be relayed to the base command on the ground Anti-ballistic missile will have to be launched with in a matter of seconds to intercept incoming missiles.

Current Threats to the U.S. In fact, the threat to the United States has actually shrunk. Currently Russia has about 5,200 missile warheads deployed on one thousand missiles, a decrease of 52 percent in the number of missiles since 1980, and these decreases are likely to continue. China has presently some twenty ICBMs, a force which is not likely to increase unless the United States deploys an NMD system. The threat in intermediate-range missiles (three to five thousand kilometers) has virtually ended due to the 1987 treaty banning them. Only six nations -- Israel, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran -- have medium-range missiles (one to three thousand kilometers) and these do not threaten the territory of the United States. Only four of these nations have active programs for trying to stretch the range of these systems to over three thousand kilometers in the next ten years (India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran.) Of the thirty-three nations with ballistic missiles, twenty-seven have only short-range missiles, that is, under a thousand kilometers. China and Russia are still the only potential adversaries with the capability of hitting the United States with nuclear-armed missiles.

One Students Perspective I must admit that when I first started this project, I thought it was the most boring subject that I had to present on. However, my opinion has changed a complete 360 degrees. As an American, I can surly state that if we the people of the United States don’t start cleaning up our own house, we our headed for complete destruction. Which will be our own fault. We waste too much money on the wrong programs, while our children grow up uneducated. Our universities and college’s are filled to capacity with foreign students, while American students can’t afford to attend college. Since the Reagan Administration, a whole generation has grown up physically but not mentally equipped to handle today’s advance technology like the NMD programs.

References Special Weapons Monitor: National Missile Defense International Policy Report: Shield of Dreams : Why National missile Defense Won’t Work Indiana Peace Action Network Starwars The Cost of National Missile Defense: Tens of Billions and Rising wars/ THERE IS A LOT MORE JUST DO A SEARCH ON NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE