U.S. Missile Defense Radar Has Yet to Reach Alaska

The floating U.S. X-band missile defense radar should arrive in Alaska in January, following two unsuccessful attempts this year to ship it to its new home, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, May 8).

The radar was forced to turn back to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii twice last spring while on its way to Adak, Alaska.

The $815 million, 28-story radar is capable of identifying objects as small as a baseball at a distance of thousands of miles.  It would help identify incoming missiles for targeting by missile interceptors deployed in Alaska and California, AP reported.

“The present system is the only capability we have to defend against a missile attack,” said Air Force Lt. Gen. Douglas Fraser, top U.S. military officer in Alaska, cautioning that he was offering only his personal opinion.  “Something is better than nothing” (Associated Press, Nov. 16).

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