 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Russian Military Chief Warns Of US Anti-Missile Shield Impact
Moscow (RIA Novosti) Dec 14, 2006 Russia disapproves of U.S. plans to deploy an anti-missile shield in Eastern Europe, and believes the move may adversely affect global as well as European security, the head of the Russian armed forces' general staff said Wednesday. Washington is considering placing a missile defense system in Poland or the Czech Republic, which it says will protect Europe and the United States against hostile missiles from certain rogue states in Asia, such as North Korea. Speaking to a gathering of foreign military attaches in Moscow, Yuri Baluyevsky said: "The creation of a U.S. anti-missile base cannot be viewed otherwise than as a major reconfiguration of the American military presence. Vanguard groupings of the U.S. armed forces in Europe have until now had no strategic components. This raises the question as to who U.S. anti-missile plans are really targeted against, and what kind of implications they may have for Russia and Europe at large." He dismissed assurances that the base's buildup will have no noticeable effect on Russia's nuclear deterrent potential. "An ABM area near Europe's Russian borders is an unfriendly step, to put it mildly, and an unfriendly signal," he said. "The potential interception zone for ballistic missiles from this area will span much of Russia's European territory." "Given that its [the shield's] creation may prompt other countries to step up their activities in missile building, the situation in the longer term appears all the more alarming. It is clearly fraught with the potential for a nuclear arms race, which will have a negative impact on global strategic stability." "It will force us to look for certain counter-measures, which will definitely be asymmetrical and less expensive," Baluyevsky said. He also expressed concern over the potential damage that may be caused to Russia's environment by the nuclear warheads of missiles shot down over Russian soil.
Source: RIA Novosti Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Raytheon Ships Second Ballistic Missile Defense System Radar 
Tewksbury MA (SPX) Dec 14, 2006Raytheon Company has shipped ahead of schedule and under budget the second Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) Forward Based X-Band Transportable (FBX-T) radar to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., for final testing and acceptance. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
