The evolution of USA leadership on the development of missile defense
The article made a comprehensive assessment of the evolution of the views of US leadership on the development of a missile defense system from the beginning of work in this area to date. All this term (over 60 years) divided into five main stages, in each of which carried out activities to create a missile defense system, the development of scientific and technological potential of the United States, their economic opportunities and the level of missile threats. During the first phase, the main attention is paid to the creation of systems for the defense of certain important sites, industrial areas (zones) from Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles. The second phase is characterized by the cessation of activities for the creation and deployment of anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems, due to the conclusion of the ABM Treaty between the USSR and the USA on limiting missile defense systems and its implementation. In the third phase, USA tried to implement the most ambitious project in this area -Strategic Defense Initiative. Missile defense facilities provided for the development of land, air and space-based, built on different physical principles for the purpose of destruction of ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) practically the entire trajectory of their flight. Particular attention was paid to elements of space-based missile with new lesions of electromagnetic guns, particle accelerators, radiation weapons and more. The fourth phase - development of missile defense system to protect against ballistic missiles of medium and shorter-range missiles, as well as the formation of powerful ideas and plans to create the first missile defense of the national territory ICBM. The fifth phase covers the period after the US withdrawal from the ABM Treaty to date. It is characterized by scale and ambitious intentions of Washington to build a global layered missile defense system to protect the United States, its allies and US forces abroad. This made practical measures to develop missile defense elements for various purposes and their placement. Particular attention was paid to creating missile defense systems in the European, Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions based on mobile tools, especially missiles SM-3 sea and shore. In particular, by the end of 2018 in Europe is planned to have two missile defense bases (24 missiles on each) and four destroyers with missile which will ensure the protection of the European and US forces deployed in the area of ballistic missiles of medium and shorter-range missiles from the Middle East.