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Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO’s Secretary General, will be in Russia today to discuss the former Soviet Union’s support for the war in Afghanistan, missile defense, and other topics.

NATO is trying to re-establish relations with Russia after criticizing the country for invading Georgia. Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s NATO envoy, said earlier this month he hopes the renewed ties will pave the way for a new Euro-Atlantic security treaty in the joint NATO-Russia Council.

Andrew Monaghan, an analyst at the NATO Defense College in Rome, is cynical. “It’s very important that Rasmussen goes there and meets people and I am quite sure there will be something that can be brought back. But really, in terms of turning the relationship around, I think it’s unlikely.”

Russia says it supports the war in Afghanistan, but won’t send troops. Some believe Russia’s support is “lukewarm,” similar to its attitude about Iran. Russia has refused to issue tougher sanctions against the rogue state.

“NATO is defending Russia’s national security interests in Afghanistan … There is an understanding in the Kremlin that it is not in our interests to have NATO failing in Afghanistan,” said Tatiana Parkhalina, director of the Center for European Security in Moscow.

If Russia’s able to play hard ball with the U.S. and win, especially without giving up anything in return, there seems to be little incentive for Russia to make nice with NATO.

(Source: Reuters)

NATO may collaborate with Russia on missile defense, a year after criticizing the former Soviet Union’s invasion of Georgia. Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s NATO envoy, said he hopes the renewed ties will pave the way for a new Euro-Atlantic security treaty in the joint NATO-Russia Council. (Source)

Statement from NATO foreign ministers: “We continue to support increased cooperation between NATO and Russia on missile defense, including maximum transparency and reciprocal confidence-building measures. We reaffirm the alliance’s readiness to explore the potential for linking the United States, NATO and Russian missile defense systems at an appropriate time.” (Source)

In related news, the U.S. and Russia have agreed to extend the deadline to renew the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which was set to expire December 5. (Source)

Under the treaty, signed by Russia and the U.S. in 1991, both countries agreed to reduce nuclear warheads to 6,000 and delivery vehicles to 1,600. Eleven years later, the Moscow Treaty, a follow-up to START, required warhead reductions to between 1,700 and 2,200.

Last month, Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev said he believed his country and the U.S. would reach an agreement by the deadline.

 
Bill Sweetman, editor of Aviation Week, published an article on missile defense changes under the current administration.

“First was the shift in emphasis from mid-course defeat to ‘early intercept’ and from heavy ground-based interceptors (GBIs) to sea-based and land-based versions of the U.S. Navy/Raytheon SM-3,” he writes. “Nobody was surprised when this was followed in September by the scrapping of plans to install Boeing’s GBIs in Poland and announcement of a phased adaptive approach (PAA) based on SM-3.”

Sweetman says rapid changes in our approach has NATO allies uncertain whether the U.S. is “sensitive” to their concerns. Changes have also caused confusion over the nationality of the commander on the scene during an interception.

“The [phased adaptive approach] PAA is in four phases, determined by a new assessment of the threat (principally from Iran) that downplays the imminence of long-range missile development. Phase 1 in 2011 will derive from the current sea-based SM-3 Block 1A, with “engage-on-remote” guidance from TPY-2 radar. Land-based SM-3 Block 1B missiles (with a new kill vehicle) will be added in Phase 2 in 2015 to expand the defended area, along with new sensors, possibly airborne infrared devices. The big-booster Block IIA SM-3 arrives in Phase 3 in 2018, followed two years later by the Block IIB, a further development—possibly spawned from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s classified budget—which has some capability against intercontinental missiles.

“One question is how these phases mesh with European NATO plans. NATO is following a three-track approach to missile defense: continued assessment of the U.S. PAA, exploration of cooperation with Russia and NATO’s Active Layered Theater Ballistic Missile Defense (ALTBMD) program, which is aimed at protecting deployed forces from weapons up to 3,000 km. (1,865 mi.) in range.”

Read the full article here.

 
As Iran inches closer to crossing the nuclear weapons threshold and continues to advance its ballistic missile program, the dangers to Europe and America increase. Estimates predict that Tehran’s missiles could hit Europe’s entire landmass within 4 years, with parts of Europe already in Tehran’s crosshairs.

An attack on Europe would almost certainly hit American assets on the Continent, and would be invoked by NATO as the same as an attack on the United States itself. As the commemorations of the 9/11 terrorist attacks begin, it should be remembered that it was on 9/12/2001 that for its first and only time, NATO invoked the sacred Article V clause to demonstrate the indivisibility of Euro-Atlantic security.

Iran has already demonstrated that it is an aggressive actor on the international stage, supporting and consorting with odious regimes such as North Korea and terrorist actors such as Hezbollah. It has violently crushed legitimate domestic opposition and sought to solidify its position among Iranian elites with extreme anti-Western rhetoric and actions that glorify past terrorist acts and incite further terrorism.

As President Obama looks to defend the United States against such rogue regimes, missile defense is a tried, tested and trusted protection strategy. The placing of missile defenses outside of the U.S. as well as on the Homeland reinforces America’s long-held commitment to the NATO alliance. To make America and her allies deliberately vulnerable to ballistic missile or nuclear attack makes no sense. In an age where America’s enemies have ballistic missile capabilities, the United States must have missile defense technologies.

As a workable, cost effective, defensive solution to current and emerging threats, missile defense makes sense for America and for Europe. Abandoning America’s most enduring allies now, in the face of unsupportable Russian objections, is a tactical miscalculation with long-term strategic implications. President Obama must not surrender to spurious Russian accusations on one of America’s greatest defense assets.

>> Today Russia made public its new National Security Strategy, in which it expressed hope in building a partnership with the U.S., while criticizing our plans to build missile defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia also criticized NATO, citing the international alliance as a security threat. (Voice of America)

>> The Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance will hold a briefing to discuss new polling data regarding America’s response to U.S. missile defense and President Barack Obama’s recent missile defense statements and proposals for missile defense funding. The briefing will occur tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. at the National Press Club. (PRNewswire)

>> U.S. defense contractor Boeing is moving its missile defense headquarters from Arlington, Virginia, to Huntsville, Alabama, which bears the nickname “Rocket City.” Boeing will bring 50 jobs as it heads west.

Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce member Mike Ward said, “I think its reflected in what you see the Army do here, but what you also see with the missile defense agency locating most of its resources here…Anyone involved in missile defense from the corporate side is obviously paying attention to what the missile defense agency, and Army are doing here.” (WHNT.com)

>> A spacecraft called Space Tracking and Surveillance System Advanced Technology Risk Reduction mission launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base earlier this week, along with a spacecraft for the Missile Defense Agency. Launch director for the NASA’s Launch Services Program Chuck Dovale said, “With confirmation of the payload’s delivery into the correct orbit, the launch is a success,” said Chuck Dovale, launch director for the NASA’s Launch Services Program.” (Aero-News Network)

 
Last week we blogged about Russia’s optimism that our new president is willing to discuss Russia’s objections to missile defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. The New York Times reports that NATO’s military exercises in Georgia are interfering with Russia’s discussions with the U.S.

Vladimir Putin said this about our agreements with the two countries:

“I don’t think you have to be an expert to see that if one side wants to or has an umbrella against various threats, it can begin to suffer from the illusion that it is permissible to do whatever it likes, and then its actions will become many times more aggressive and the threat of a global confrontation will reach a danger level.”

As Russia seeks to implement its missile defense agenda, the country recently celebrated its victory over Nazi Germany during WWII by exhibiting the new S-400 missile defense system. At the celebration, President Dmitri Medvedev issued another barely-veiled threat:

“Any aggression against our citizens will be met with appropriate resistance, and the future of Russia will be peaceful, successful and happy.”

The S-400 is designed to intercept missiles from low and high altitudes, according to a Russian military expert. (Source)

(Photo source: MissileThreat.com)

>> This weekend the New York Times published a story that highlighted opposing reactions to North Korea’s recent rocket launch. While some considered the launch a failure because the rocket didn’t reach its target, others see the bigger picture: North Korea’s willingness to continue developing and testing its ballistic missile capability.

Missile defense naysayer Philip E. Coyle III said, “The advocates [of missile defense] want to scare people, so they hype the threat.”

Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance president Riki Ellison said, “North Korea has successfully tested a long-range ballistic missile. This success coupled with the North Korean nuclear weapons makes North Korea a nuclear threat.” (NYT)

>> The Missile Defense Agency announced that the Airborne Laser (ABL) prototype aircraft achieved flight certification last week as it returned to Edwards Air Force Base. Called a critical milestone, the ABL integrated aboard a 747 aircraft will provide “speed of light capability” against missiles in the boost phase and other missions. (MDA)

>> RIA Novosti reports that Turkey, a member of NATO, wants to buy S-400 Triumf air defense systems from Russia. An unnamed source implied such a sale would be complicated. NATO and Russia don’t see eye-to-eye on U.S. plans to build missile defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic.

“We have explained to Turkish officials that S-400 is not just a simple air defense system but an element of strategic missile defenses, which can be placed in one country but protect the airspace over a number of neighboring countries,” he said. (RIA Novosti)

>> Israel has agreed to supply India with missile defense technology in an effort to boost strategic ties between the two countries. Both countries face missile threats from Muslim countries. India will receive Barak ground-to-air missiles from Israel. (ISN)

>> Our country’s ballistic missile defense system testing would be affected if the Obama administration reduces funding in the defense budget. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) may face cuts as high as $2 billion, which would reduce testing of the MDA’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense element.

According to Aviation Week, President Barack Obama said his staff found $40 billion in long-term Department of Defense savings. The MDA spent $56 billion on ballistic missile defense for the past seven years and is expected to spend $50 billion through 2013. (Source)

>> Last week, Israel successfully tested the Iron Dome, an anti-rocket shield. The system is designed to defend Israel from Hamas and Hizbullah rockets and also serves as a major component in a multi-layered missile defense system that includes the Arrow anti-ballistic missile shield. (Source)

>> The North Atlantic Treaty Organization turned 60. NATO was founded after WWII in 1949 as a collective defense organization. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, NATO comprises 26 countries, including the U.S., Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom. (Source)