Missile-defense system
A missile-defense system is a system that can stop incoming missiles by firing another projectile, such as an anti-ballistic missile, at it. The first anti-ballistic missile was tested by the Soviet Union in 1961, and the United States soon developed one also.[1] The two countries signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (AMB Treaty) in 1972, which conservatives like Phyllis Schlafly opposed.[1]
In order to eliminate the threat of a large-scale nuclear attack on the United States, U.S. President Ronald Reagan developed the Strategic Defense Initiative, and missile-defense systems continued to develop afterward.[1] The U.S. successfully tested its missile-defense system in 2017.[2][3]
A missile defense system - the ability to shoot down an incoming missile with a missile - ended the the doctrine of MAD (mutually assured destruction) in favor of what Reagan termed Assured Survival. Democrats and liberals vehemently opposed Reagan and clung to MAD, mockingly calling missile defense "Star Wars - a futuristic fantasy".
See also
- THAAD, a specific missile-defense system based in South Korea
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Stracqualursi, Veronica (May 31, 2017). A brief history of US missile defense systems. ABC News. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
- ↑ US conducts successful missile intercept test, Pentagon says. Fox News. May 30, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
- ↑ Parry, Hannah (May 30, 2017). America's missile defense system WORKS: The Pentagon successfully shoots down a mock nuclear warhead over California in test of missile that will stop ICBMs reaching the US. The Daily Mail. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
