US-Led Cooperative Theater Missile Defense in Northeast Asia

<p>In this paper Lt Col Rex R. Kiziah USAF examines current US efforts to cooperatively develop and deploy with Japan and South Korea a theater missile defense (TMD) family of systems (FoS) in Northeast Asia. First the author summarizes the US security strategy for the East Asia-Pacific region with emphasis on the importance of regional missile defense. Second he characterizes the ballistic missile capabilities of North Korea and China which constitute the primary threat in the region and have spurred increased US and allied pursuit of advanced TMD systems. Third the author discusses the advantages country-specific issues and status of cooperative US Japanese and South Korean TMD developmental activities. Finally Colonel Kiziah details some of the complex regional security issues associated with US Japanese and South Korean missile defense activities vis-a-vis China and Taiwan; the challenges in ameliorating Chinese concerns; and the prospects of longterm partnering and fielding of a tri-country integrated regional TMD system.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>