Honolulu Star Advertiser:
North Korea’s long-range ballistic missile test “marks a tipping point” and justification for greater U.S. defenses, with proposals for round-the-clock missile shoot-down capability on Kauai, a long-range radar in Hawaii, and increased deployment time for the Sea-Based X-Band Radar, the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance said.
Saturday’s launch “proved out validation of development on (North Korea’s) reliability in propulsion, staging and aerospace system engineering that will enhance their strategic ballistic missile force,” the nonprofit organization said today.
The North said it put an Earth observation satellite into orbit, but experts countered it was a missile test.
Japan deployed Aegis ballistic missile defense ships in the East China Sea capable of shooting down the missile, and had Patriot defense units deployed for defense against falling debris, MDAA said.
The United States also had Aegis ships in the East China Sea and Patriot batteries deployed in Okinawa. Some of the 30 ground-based interceptor missiles in California and Alaska were “in readiness” along with two radars in Japan, the Sea-Based X-Band floating radar, additional Aegis ships in the Pacific, and a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery in Guam, according to MDAA.
The “increased justification and need for missile defense has resulted in a path forward” for a South Korean request for THAAD, despite Chinese and Russian objections, the organization said.
Defenses “that are being seriously thought through” include operating the Aegis Ashore test facility around the clock on Kauai for the protection of Hawaii, installing a long-range radar in Hawaii, adding an Army Air Defense brigade headquarters in the Pacific, and increasing deployment time for the SBX radar based in Hawaii, MDAA said.
