Pentagon plans long-range missile defense radar in Alaska
The US Defense Department says it plans to deploy a long-range radar
in central Alaska to help the national missile defense system with
discerning potential enemy missiles.
The Long Range Discrimination Radar would begin operation in 2020 and
will be placed in Clear Air Force Station, the Defense Department said
in a statement .However, required environmental and safety studies must
be completed before the department can go ahead with project and decide
where exactly it should be launched, the department said.
"The Missile Defense Agency is moving forward with the design and
development of the radar and assessing US industry proposals to meet the
required technical performance to counter the emerging threat and
support future BMDS architecture needs," the department said.It says
that the LRDR will assist the multi-layered US ballistic missile defense
system in addressing potential countermeasures which potential foe could
launch to confuse US defensive systems.
In March, Missile Defense Agency Director James Syring and other
senior Pentagon officials told Congress that the new radar was highly
important to enhance America's defense capabilities in the face of North
Korea and Iran.According to Admiral James Winnefeld, vice chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the US takes both Iran and North Korea
seriously to that end.
-GJH News
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