Shields Up: The Missile Defense Age Is Here

American Legion, 1.1.25

This is a good news/bad news story. ‍ ‍

The bad news—the truly awful news—is that Russia is lobbing missiles and kamikaze-drones into Ukraine. Iran and its Hamas-Hezbollah-Houthi hydra are firing rockets, missiles and drones at Israel. Houthi missiles are taking aim at U.S. warships, Saudi cities, UAE oilfields and international trade. Iranian-trained militias are launching rockets at U.S. troops and diplomats. North Korean missiles are triggering civil-defense alerts in Japan and South Korea.

The good news—the hopeful news amidst this unprovoked aggression—is that those in the crosshairs now have tools to shield their civilians and cities, troops and territory from the onslaught. ‍

Taking Aim
Before highlighting the advances in missile-defense systems, we must first look at the bad-news side of this story: the rapid proliferation and lawless misuse of missiles and drones.

Three decades ago, nine countries fielded ballistic missiles. Today, 31 countries deploy ballistic missiles, and a growing number deploys kamikaze-drones. Several of these missile- and drone-wielding states are unfriendly (Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Belarus), unstable (Pakistan, Egypt) or all of the above (Syria). Equally worrisome, several of them aren’t even states (Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, PIJ, ISIS, al-Qaeda), which means their missiles, rockets and drones may not have a return address, which makes deterrence awfully difficult. ‍ ‍

As a 2022 Pentagon report concludes, “Missile-related threats have rapidly expanded in quantity, diversity and sophistication. U.S. national security interests are increasingly at risk from wide-ranging missile arsenals.”[1]‍ ‍

Following is a snapshot of the most worrisome threats.‍ ‍

Iran
In October 2024, Iran unleashed 181 ballistic missiles against Israel. This followed a barrage in April 2024 that saw Iran fire 300 cruise missiles and kamikaze-drones at Israel. In a 24-hour period in early 2024, Iran conducted missile strikes against targets in Syria and Pakistan. On a single day in 2020, Iran launched 16 missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq. In 2015, Iran tested missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.[2] Iran has demonstrated the capacity to loft a rocket into orbit, highlighting technologies applicable to ICBMs. And in 2024, Iran openly boasted that it launched ballistic missiles from a converted commercial ship[3]—a reminder that the range of Iran’s missiles is irrelevant. A moveable launchpad, after all, brings virtually anywhere within reach of Iran’s missile and kamikaze-drone arsenal.‍ ‍

The Hamas-Hezbollah-Houthi Hydra
Since October 2023, Hamas and other Gaza-based terror groups have fired more than 12,000 rockets at Israel.[4] Yemen-based Houthi rebels have fired more than 1,350 missiles and kamikaze-drones at Saudi Arabia and the UAE, dozens at Israel and civilian vessels in the Red Sea, and dozens more at U.S. and allied warships operating in international waters.[5] Lebanon-based Hezbollah—with an arsenal of 150,000 rockets—has fired more than 8,000 rockets at Israel since October 2024.[6] Kataib Hezbollah and other Iranian-trained, Iranian-funded militias have used Iranian-made kamikaze-drones and rockets to mount at least 168 attacks against U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq since autumn 2023, one of which killed three Americans in 2024.[7]

North Korea
North Korea, which possesses 60 nuclear warheads, conducted more than 100 missile tests in 2022 and 2023. [8][9] The high tempo of testing continued into 2024, with Pyongyang fielding missiles that can target U.S. bases in South Korea, Japan, Guam and Wake Island.[10] North Korea has flight-tested ICBMs, which would bring Alaska, Hawaii and parts of the continental U.S. in range.[11] Plus, North Korea has tested submarine-launched missiles.[12]‍ ‍

Russia
Fielding the full range of ICBMs, submarine-launched missiles and bomber-deployed missiles, Russia is a missile superpower. Much of the destruction in Ukraine has come courtesy of Russia’s massive missile and kamikaze-drone arsenal. Russia has pelted Ukraine with a barrage of more than 7,400 missiles[13] and more than 3,700 kamikaze-drones.[14]‍ ‍

China
The Pentagon estimates China deploys at least 350 ICBMs and 1,800 medium- and intermediate-range missiles.[15] China recently completed construction of a 300-silo missile bed. The Pentagon projects China will have more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.[16]‍ ‍

Battle Tested
The good news is that America has been knitting together an international missile defense coalition for a quarter-century—yielding a fragile but expanding web of missile defenses: The U.S. deploys 44 ground-based interceptors in Alaska and California (building toward 64)[17]; 49 Aegis missile-defense ships (building toward 69 by 2030)[18]; Aegis Ashore missile-defense systems in Romania and Poland[19]; an Aegis Ashore Test Center in Hawaii (which could be converted into an operational system[20]); 50 Patriot batteries[21]; and seven THAAD batteries sprinkled around the globe.[22][23] These missile-intercepting systems are supported by missile-defense radars in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, Greenland, Britain, Turkey, Israel and Japan, along with a constellation of satellites and sensors orbiting in space.[24]‍ ‍

In testing, this system of systems boasts an 82-percent success rate across the entire U.S. missile-defense architecture.[25] However, those tests have been overtaken by events. From Europe to the Middle East, missile defenses are being put to the test in the real world—and proving their worth.

‍ ‍United States
In 2003, U.S. Patriot PAC-2 and PAC-3 batteries intercepted nine Iraqi missiles, shielding the coalition’s headquarters in Kuwait from a decapitation strike.[26] The C-RAM anti-rocket system defended U.S. forward-operating bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, where it was activated some 2,500 times, as the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance reports.[27] C-RAM batteries also engaged rockets targeting the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad in 2022 and Kabul Airport in 2021.[28]‍ ‍

In 2016, USS Mason deployed SM-2 interceptors to knock down Houthi cruise missiles.[29] An electronic-jamming system aboard USS Boxer disabled an Iranian drone in 2019.[30]In 2023, USS Carney used SM-2s to defeat Houthi missiles targeting Israel.[31] In 2023 and 2024, Patriot batteries shielded U.S. troops in Iraq from rocket attacks.[32] The Carney alone engaged 51 Houthi missiles and drones targeting ships, as well as Iranian missiles targeting Israeli territory.[33] In April 2024, a U.S. Patriot battery in Iraq knocked down an Iranian ballistic missile, and U.S. Aegis missile-defense ships intercepted six Iranian ballistic missiles. ‍ ‍

Ukraine
Kiev has used Soviet-era S-300s, domestically produced electronic-warfare jammers, and Western-supplied Patriot, IRIS-T, NASAMS, Hawk and Stinger systems to deflect thousands of inbound threats.[34] CSIS reports Ukraine’s mix of missile defenses has intercepted more than 70 percent of Russia’s cruise missiles and kamikaze-drones, along with nearly 80 percent of ballistic missiles.[35] Ukraine’s Patriot batteries have even knocked down Russia’s vaunted Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, which Moscow claimed to be “undefeatable.”[36]‍ ‍

Israel
In 2014, Israel’s Iron Dome system—designed to defeat short-range rockets—intercepted 735 inbound threats and registered a kill rate of nearly 90 percent. Even in the face of Hamas’s saturation attacks in late 2023—when thousands of rockets were fired per day—the Iron Dome continued to shield Israeli cities and citizens.[37] Israel’s David’s Sling system—focused on medium-range threats—deflected rockets fired from Gaza in 2023.[38] Also in 2023, Israeli Patriot batteries intercepted missiles targeting the port city of Eilat.[39] Designed to engage threats in the upper atmosphere and space, Israel’s Arrow-2 intercepted a Syrian missile in 2017, and Israel’s Arrow-3 scored its first operational intercept in the late 2023. The Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 systems deflected several Iranian missiles during Iran’s April 2024 blitz. [40][41][42] Together, Israeli, U.S., British, French and Jordanian warplanes; Israeli, U.S and Saudi land-based missile defenses; and U.S. sea-based missile defenses intercepted a stunning 99 percent of Iran’s April 2024 salvo.[43] U.S., British, Israeli and Jordanian missile-defense assets intercepted the vast majority of Iran’s October 2024 ballistic-missile salvo; thanks to missile defense, there were no Israelis killed in that attack.[44]‍ ‍

UAE and Saudi Arabia
In 2022, a THAAD battery in the UAE intercepted Houthi missiles and drones targeting oil facilities near Al-Dhafra Air Base, where U.S. forces are deployed. It was the THAAD system’s first confirmed operational use.[45] Saudi Arabia’s Patriot batteries have intercepted 90 percent of Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen—including six missiles in a 48-second span in February 2024—as well as missiles headed for Israel in April 2024.[46][47]  The Patriot has scored successful intercepts in Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait[48] and the UAE.[49]

Cooperation
Twenty-nine countries, plus the NATO alliance, collaborate with the U.S. on missile defense.[50] Israel and Japan are the most tightly integrated with the U.S. on missile-defense development—and understandably so, given their dangerous neighborhoods.‍ ‍

The U.S. supported development of the Arrow, David's Sling and Iron Dome systems—all essential to Israel’s defense and very existence.[51] The collaborative effort serves both sides: The U.S. is integrating Iron Dome interceptors into Army and Marine Corps air defenses.[52] The U.S. recently stood up a missile-defense base on Israeli soil.[53] A U.S.-manned THAAD system was sent to Israel in 2024.[54] And Israel hosts a U.S. AN/TPY-2 missile-defense radar, which is networked with other U.S. missile-defense assets. ‍ ‍

Japan hosts two AN/TPY-2 radars. Japan deploys eight Aegis missile-defense warships.[55] Japan also deploys Patriot batteries. In fact, Japan is transferring Patriot interceptor missiles to the U.S to backfill inventory that’s been sent to Ukraine.[56] After codeveloping the SM-3 Block 2A interceptor missile[57], the U.S. and Japan are now codeveloping a hypersonic-missile interceptor.[58]‍ ‍

Elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S., Japan and Australia are building a “networked air-defense architecture” to detect and defeat missile threats.[59] South Korea, Japan and the U.S. have activated a joint early-warning data-sharing system to detect North Korean launches.[60] The three partners are conducting missile-defense exercises at sea.[61] South Korea fields Patriot batteries and a THAAD battery.[62] Australia hosts ground-control stations for U.S. early-warning satellites enabling allied forces to track hostile missile launches. Australia is in the process of linking its Aegis ships with U.S., Japanese and South Korean Aegis ships.[63] Finally, the Pentagon is blanketing Guam with layers of missile defenses.[64][65]‍ ‍

In Europe, British and Danish territories host key missile-defense radars.[66] Poland and Romania host Aegis Ashore batteries. Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Romania and Ukraine deploy Patriot batteries.[67] Germany is purchasing the Arrow-3 system. Finland is acquiring the David’s Sling system. Germany, Estonia, Latvia and Ukraine deploy the IRIS-T system.[68] Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, Norway, Netherlands, Spain and Ukraine are fielding NASAMS interceptors.[69] Twenty-one[70] European nations—all within range of Russia’s missilery, some within range of Iran’s—are constructing a continentwide missile-defense architecture known as the Sky Shield Initiative.[71]‍ ‍

Costs
Defending against missile and drone attacks isn’t cheap. Americans have invested more than $194 billion in the Missile Defense Agency since it was established in 2002—nearly $11 billion in 2024 alone.[72] Enlarging the missile-defense web and filling in its gaps will cost many billions more. But as President Ronald Reagan explained, “National security is government's first responsibility…Spending for defense is investing in things that are priceless: peace and freedom.”[73] Missile defense promotes both.

Israel’s layered defense, Europe’s Sky Shield Initiative and Ukraine’s makeshift shield against Russia’s missile blitz illustrate that a broadscale missile defense for America is feasible using existing technologies. It’s simply a matter of will. Toward that end, the Pentagon’s Air and Cruise Missile Defense of the Homeland Analysis program is assessing how to deploy a mix of missile defenses that could produce protective bubbles for critical areas across the country.[74] Such a system won’t shield everything and everyone from every threat, but defending some of the homeland is better than none.‍ ‍

Industry is racing to equip America’s military with additional kinetic, electronic-warfare, cyber[75] and especially laser missile-intercept systems.[76] Indeed, lasers are a crucial piece of the missile-defense puzzle because the current arithmetic of missile defense works in the attacker’s favor. ‍ ‍

Russia’s Kh-22 cruise missile and North Korea’s Scud variants, for instance, cost about $1 million[77] apiece, Iran’s Kh-55 variants about $750,000 each.[78] The Shahed kamikaze-drones used against cities in Ukraine and troops in the Middle East cost $50,000 per copy.[79] Hezbollah converts its Zelzal-2 rockets into guided missiles for just $5,000 apiece.[80][81] A Hamas Qassam rocket costs less than $800.[82]

Now, compare those numbers with the defender’s side of the equation: An SM-3 comes in at $11.8 million, a Patriot PAC-3 at $3 million, an Arrow-3 at $2.2 million, a NASAMS interceptor at $337,000,[83] an Iron Dome interceptor at $60,000.[84] Using a $3-million interceptor to take down a million-dollar missile, $50,000 drone or $800 rocket is worth every penny for those in the crosshairs—just ask the thousands of Americans, Israelis, Ukrainians, Brits, Saudis and Kuwaitis alive today because of missile-defense systems—but it’s still a costly proposition. ‍ ‍

Missile- and drone-killing lasers will shift this cost-exchange ratio to the defender’s favor. The HELIOS laser-intercept system, which has been retrofitted onto USS Preble, costs less than $10 per shot. Israel’s Iron Beam system could cost as little as $2 per intercept.[85] The Navy is adding the ODIN laser-intercept system, which targets kamikaze-drones, onto eight destroyers.[86] The Army has deployed four batteries of its Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense—which uses lasers to defeat rockets, drones and artillery—to the Middle East for field-testing.[87] The Army’s Palletized High Energy Laser is now operational.[88]‍ ‍

Looking further ahead—and further above—the U.S. may need space-based missile defenses. A 2019 Pentagon report notes, “space-basing may increase the overall likelihood of successfully intercepting offensive missiles” and “reduce the number of U.S. defensive interceptors required to do so.”[89]

Gaps
Missile defenses cannot be viewed as the only means of protecting America from missile threats. Treaties, “left of launch” cyber-operations, deterrence and counterproliferation efforts also must be brought to bear. ‍ ‍

However, treaties are only as good as the character of the governments that sign them, and treaties can’t prevent accidental launches. There’s a workaround for almost every cyberattack. Death-wish dictators and mass-murderers masquerading as holy men seem immune from deterrence. Counterproliferation via preemptive action is a high-risk gamble (as the Bush administration learned in Iraq). Counterproliferation via third parties leaves too much room for mischief (as the Obama administration learned in Syria). And counterproliferation via retaliatory action presupposes friendly forces absorbing the first blow (as the Biden administration learned with Iran). ‍ ‍

Missile defenses can—and must—fill in these gaps.‍‍‍ ‍

‍ ‍

[1]https://media.defense.gov/2022/Oct/27/2003103845/-1/-1/1/2022-NATIONAL-DEFENSE-STRATEGY-NPR-MDR.PDF

[2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-missiles-usa/u-s-confirms-iran-tested-nuclear-capable-ballistic-missile-idUSKCN0SA20Z20151016/

[3] https://gcaptain.com/watch-iran-launches-ballistic-missiles-from-converted-warship/

[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/27/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-gaza-rockets.html

[5]https://acleddata.com/2023/01/17/beyond-riyadh-houthi-cross-border-aerial-warfare-2015-2022/

[6]https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2022/09/12/pgms-irans-precision-guided-munitions-project-in-the-shadow-of-a-nuclear-deal/https://www.wsj.com/opinion/hezbollah-pagers-explode-lebanon-syria-israel-iran-54a9f131?mod=hp_opin_pos_2#cxrecs_s

[7]https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/25/washington-and-baghdad-plan-hold-talks-soon-end-presence-of-us-led-coalition-iraq.html?ESRC=eb_240126.nlhttps://www.cnn.com/2024/01/29/politics/biden-jordan-attack-response-options/index.html

[8] https://www.iiss.org/en/publications/strategic-comments/2022/north-koreas-missile-activity-in-2022/

[9]https://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/cns-north-korea-missile-test-database/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-korea-missile-launche-icbm-hwasong-us-mainland-range-south-korea-japan/https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/seventy-one-percent-south-koreans-now-support-return-nuclear-weapons-their-country-even

[10]https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/31/north-korea-says-it-tested-long-range-cruise-missiles-sharpen-attack-capabilities.html?ESRC=eb_240131.nlhttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-korea-says-tested-solid-fuel-missile-tipped-hypersonic-weapon-rcna133900https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47589

[11]https://missilethreat.csis.org/country/dprkhttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-korea-missile-launche-icbm-hwasong-us-mainland-range-south-korea-japan/

[12]https://sgp.fas.org/crs/nuke/IF10472.pdfhttps://thehill.com/policy/international/4435189-north-korea-kim-new-cruise-missile-tests/

[13] https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-threat-and-proliferation/todays-missile-threat/ukrainian-war-updates/

[14] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-has-fired-7400-missiles-3700-shahed-drones-war-so-far-kyiv-says-2023-12-21/

[15] https://media.defense.gov/2023/Oct/19/2003323409/-1/-1/1/2023-MILITARY-AND-SECURITY-DEVELOPMENTS-INVOLVING-THE-PEOPLES-REPUBLIC-OF-CHINA.PDF

[16] https://media.defense.gov/2023/Oct/19/2003323409/-1/-1/1/2023-MILITARY-AND-SECURITY-DEVELOPMENTS-INVOLVING-THE-PEOPLES-REPUBLIC-OF-CHINA.PDF

[17]https://sgp.fas.org/crs/natsec/IF10541.pdfhttps://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/usmissiledefense

[18] https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24413818/navy-aegis-ballistic-missile-defense-bmd-program-background-and-issues-for-congress-feb-6-2023.pdf

[19] https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24413818/navy-aegis-ballistic-missile-defense-bmd-program-background-and-issues-for-congress-feb-6-2023.pdf

[20] https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23932049/rl33745-4.pdf

[21] https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2023/05/17/graphics-patriot-missiles-ukraine-russia/70227493007/

[22] https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/03/04/in-first-us-deploys-thaad-anti-missile-system-in-israel/

[23] https://sgp.fas.org/crs/natsec/IF10541.pdf

[24]https://www.heritage.org/military-strength/assessment-us-military-power/missile-defensehttps://www.buckley.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/2575788/6th-space-warning-squadron/

[25] https://web.archive.org/web/20211208103424/https:/www.mda.mil/global/documents/pdf/testrecord.pdf

[26]https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2003-05/news/patriot-scorecard-mixed-pac-3-use-limitedhttps://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/world/nation-war-strategy-us-says-iraqis-are-repositioning-their-missile-sites.html

[27]https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/defense-systems/counter-rocket-artillery-mortar-c-ram/

[28]https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10400063/C-RAM-defense-takes-rockets-fired-embassy-Baghdad.htmlhttps://www.defensedaily.com/u-s-forces-use-c-ram-to-take-out-rocket-aimed-at-kabul-airport/army/

[29] https://news.usni.org/2016/10/11/uss-mason-fired-3-missiles-to-defend-from-yemen-cruise-missiles-attack

[30]https://news.usni.org/2019/07/18/uss-boxer-downs-iranian-drone-in-defensive-actionhttps://www.npr.org/2019/07/19/743444053/u-s-official-says-government-has-evidence-iran-drone-was-destroyed

[31]https://seapowermagazine.org/uss-carneys-success-showed-value-of-aegis-sm-2-vls-alert-crew/https://news.usni.org/2023/10/19/u-s-destroyer-used-sm-2s-to-down-3-land-attack-missiles-launched-from-yemen-says-pentagon

[32] https://www.fox5dc.com/news/us-strikes-iraq-iran-kataib-hezbollah

[33] https://gcaptain.com/uss-carney-returns-home-after-historic-deployment-fighting-the-houthis/

[34]https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-air-defenses-3f0a918c617534251e53da4a93121c42https://www.npr.org/2023/07/06/1183705768/to-protect-against-russian-airstrikes-ukraines-defenders-shoot-and-scoothttps://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2023-05/230505_Williams_Putin_Missile.pdf#page=29https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/19/ukraine-air-defense-systems-patriot/Russia has fired 7,400 missiles, 3,700 Shahed drones in war so far, Kyiv says | Reuters

[35] https://www.csis.org/analysis/russia-isnt-going-run-out-missiles

[36] https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-patriot-kinzhal-6b59af8e60853b4d6d16dd8d607768be

[37]https://mwi.westpoint.edu/what-happened-to-iron-dome-a-lesson-on-the-limits-of-technology-at-war/https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/idf-press-releases-regarding-the-hamas-israel-war/january-24-pr/hezbollah-uav-intercapted-by-iron-dome-over-the-maritime-area-of-northern-israel/https://www.timesofisrael.com/hezbollah-fires-dozens-of-rockets-at-northern-towns-2nd-such-barrage-in-as-many-days/amp/

[38] https://jinsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/JINSA_20230510_OperationShieldArrowRecap_v2-1.pdf

[39] https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/israel-hamas-war-gaza-strip-2023-11-08/card/drone-hits-building-in-eilat-israeli-red-sea-tourism-hub-Hi4QKH0LGRG5dyUdpZM0

[40] https://www.defensenews.com/land/2017/03/20/israel-explains-arrow-intercept-of-syrian-sam/

[41] https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/idf-press-releases-regarding-the-hamas-israel-war/november-23-pr/the-arrow-3-system-s-first-successful-operational-interception/

[42] https://www.iai.co.il/news-media/press-releases/iais-arrow-2-and-arrow-3-intercepting-many-threats-launched-iran

[43]https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/saudi-arabia-intercepted-houthi-missile-headed-toward-israel-report/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/04/14/iran-attack-israel-us-military/

[44]https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2024/10/01/navy-warships-helped-take-down-irans-attack-on-israel-pentagon-says/https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-assesses-damage-from-irans-missile-barrage-27c26e5e?mod=hp_lead_pos2https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/jordan-says-air-force-aerial-defenses-intercepted-projectiles-during-iranian-attack-on-israel/

[45] https://www.defensenews.com/land/2022/01/21/thaad-in-first-operational-use-destroys-midrange-ballistic-missile-in-houthi-attack/

[46]https://thehill.com/policy/defense/599065-us-transfers-patriot-missiles-to-saudi-arabia/https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/missile-defense-weapons/saudi-air-defenses-down-six-houthi-ballistic-missiles-48

[47] https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/middle-east/artc-saudi-arabia-publicly-acknowledges-role-in-defending-israel-against-iranian-attack

[48] https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/03/28/patriots-give-sense-of-safety-to-kuwait/51066fe7-0361-4461-b781-03eb478f47ee/

[49] https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-defense-systems-2/operational-intercepts-of-missile-defense-systems/

[50] https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-defense-systems-2/allied-air-and-missile-defense-systems/allied-countries-coming-soon/

[51] https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2023-12/news/israeli-arrow-system-downs-first-missiles-combat

[52]https://www.defensenews.com/land/2022/08/02/us-army-completes-second-iron-dome-interceptor-test/https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/08/usmcs-mric-iron-dome-will-provide-much-needed-air-defense/

[53]https://www.thecipherbrief.com/column_article/as-the-u-s-draws-down-troops-in-afghanistan-its-quietly-building-up-in-other-placeshttps://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2017/09/19/us_establishes_permanent_military_base_in_israel_112332.html?utm_source=RC%20Defense%20Morning%20Recon&utm_campaign=81fd51b475-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_09_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_694f73a8dc-81fd51b475-81835633

[54] https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/u-s-is-sending-antimissile-system-to-israel-in-move-to-bolster-its-defenses-against-iran-9eebebab?mod=mhp

[55] https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/defense-systems/aegis-afloat/

[56] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67798740

[57]https://apps.dtic.mil/descriptivesum/Y2013/MDA/stamped/0604881C_4_PB_2013.pdf

[58]https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2023/12/18/congress-demands-quicker-fielding-of-hypersonic-weapons-interceptor/U.S., Japan to develop hypersonic missile interceptor - Yomiuri | Reuters

[59] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/04/10/united-states-japan-joint-leaders-statement/

[60] https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3621235/united-states-japan-republic-of-korea-trilateral-ministerial-joint-press-statem/

[61] https://news.usni.org/2023/08/29/u-s-south-korea-japan-hold-joint-ballistic-missile-defense-drills-after-failed-north-korea-launch

[62]Kim Tong-Hyung, "U.S. Begins Moving Missile Defense System to South Korea," AP, March 07, 2017 and  https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-antimissile-system-in-south-korea-a-source-of-chinese-anger-cleared-for-full-deployment-8141b4dc

[63] Ronald O'Rourke, "Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress," CRS Report for Congress," October 25, 2016    https://www.armscontrol.org/taxonomy/term/142#Australiahttps://www.navy.gov.au/weapon/sm-2-standard-missile

[64]https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/guams-airspace-set-to-be-most-defended-on-earth-in-new-plans

[65]https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2023/8/30/small-drone-threat-grows-more-complex-deadly-as-tech-advances?mc_cid=f67016ced3&mc_eid=0a51c5fb81

[66]https://www.petersonschriever.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/326220/raf-fylingdales-uk/https://www.defensenews.com/air/2016/04/22/denmark-progresses-in-nato-ballistic-missile-defense-role/

[67] https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2023/05/17/graphics-patriot-missiles-ukraine-russia/70227493007/

[68] https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2023/12/04/latvia-signs-order-for-german-iris-t-air-defenses/

[69]https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/norway-procures-nasams-systems-and-missileshttps://www.kongsberg.com/globalassets/kongsberg-defence--aerospace/2.-what-we-do/1.3-defence--security/intergrated-air-and-missile-defence/luftvern-final_september-2022_web.pdf

[70] https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2024/04/17/poland-to-join-european-sky-shield-scheme-following-thaw-with-berlin/

[71]https://apnews.com/article/switzerland-austria-missile-defense-essi-skyshield-germany-b809c3ec96c91407812b9cf4007255a1https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_208103.htmhttps://www.kcl.ac.uk/warstudies/assets/paper-16-julia-muravska-european-integrated-air-and-missile-defence.pdfhttps://www.dw.com/en/sky-shield-initiative-can-it-protect-europe/a-66900967

[72]https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105578https://breakingdefense.com/2024/03/missile-defense-agency-takes-500m-cut-to-10-4b-in-fy25/?amp=1

[73] https://www.reaganfoundation.org/media/128840/union4.pdf

[74]https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/cruise-missile-shield-could-see-sam-sites-return-to-critical-locales-across-u-s

[75] https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2024/02/09/centcoms-sandtrap-hackathon-targets-drones-amid-middle-east-barrage/

[76]https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/2023/11/01/army-gets-first-high-power-microwave-prototype-to-counter-drone-swarms/https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/sea/electronic-warfare#protecting-land-forceshttps://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a45500360/army-first-laser-unit/https://www.defenseone.com/feature/against-the-drones/

[77] https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/20/less-than-one-aircraft-carrier-the-cost-of-north-koreas-nukes.html

[78] https://medium.com/war-is-boring/iran-just-unveiled-its-new-long-range-cruise-missile-502f0af17ccc

[79] https://news.yahoo.com/forbes-estimates-russias-jan-2-154556571.html

[80] https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2021/feb/03/irans-missiles-transfers-proxies

[81] https://news.yahoo.com/russia-estimated-spent-400-700-094600667.html

[82] https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/how-much-does-hamass-rocket-arsenal-cost-668317

[83] https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-defense-systems-2/missile-defense-systems/missile-interceptors-by-cost/

[84] https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2023/10/13/israels-iron-dome-air-defense-system-works-well-heres-how-hamas-got-around-it#:~:text=Israel%20has%20at%20least%2010,against%20a%20range%20of%20threats

[85] https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/R44175.pdf

[86] https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/R44175.pdf

[87] https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/03/04/moment-of-truth-armys-chief-laser-weapon.html?ESRC=eb_240305.nl

[88]https://prd-sc102-cdn.rtx.com/raytheon/-/media/ray/what-we-do/integrated-air-and-missile-defense/hel/pdf/ray_hel6-panel_data_ic23.pdf?rev=d79c063a461246b7bb752674d3534cb0&hash=D3597E8AA47D344FF8CC1465B5C75C1Bhttps://www.wired.com/story/laser-wars-us-military-laser-weapons/

[89]https://media.defense.gov/2019/Jan/17/2002080666/-1/-1/1/2019-MISSILE-DEFENSE-REVIEW.PDF

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