1. The Cold War
"Anti- Ballistic Missile Defense System: A Big Mistake.
At the end of the Cold War in 1989, the threat of nuclear war was reduced. It was unlikely that a global conflict would take place. Since 1980 ballistic missiles have been used in six conflicts. Today 54 countries have some type of cruise missile and 19 countries currently hold cruise missiles in their arsenals. The two most common missiles are the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBM). .
Ballistic missiles fly in three phases, the boost phase, the midcourse phase, and the terminal phase. During the boost phase the missile gains the acceleration it needs to reach its target. This phase lasts 3 to 5 minutes. In the midcourse phase, the missile free falls towards its target. Also, it sheds its motor in order to increase the distance the warhead can travel. This phase lasts up to 20 minutes. The last phase, terminal phase, is only 30 seconds long, the warhead re-enters the atmosphere and reaches speeds of 2000+ mph. .
The United States now wants to create a system to defend against potential threats. This program will build on the technical progress of already existing missile systems, integrate land, air and seas based platforms, and employ more realistic scenarios and countermeasures against enemy missiles. This plan is unnecessary, the already on-the-fence allies (i.e. Russia and China) may see it as a threat because they lose the only leverage they have with the U.S and break ties with the U.S, and It may start another cold war where all the nations race to create bigger and better defense systems or weapons stronger than the existing systems. And with the system the U.S becomes too powerful and in every way untouchable by its enemies in a state of war.
The Defense system is set up in three segments, each segment corresponds with each phase of the ballistic missile. The first segment defends against the first phase and is called the Boost Defense System (BDS).