Drone-based, Boost-Phase Intercept of North Korean ICBMs

Authors

James D. Wells, University of MichiganFollow
William Priedhorsky, University of MichiganFollow
Frederick Lamb, University of IllinoisFollow
Laura Grego, Union of Concerned ScientistsFollow

Abstract

North Korea currently has an adversarial relationship with the United States and has successfully tested both nuclear weapons and intercontinental-range ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of striking the continental United States.1 There are several ways the United States could attempt to address the threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear-armed ICBMs. Historically, the United States has relied on a policy of projecting military strength, fostering strong alliances, and maintaining a credible threat of retaliation to deter adversaries, including those with nuclear weapons, from initiating hostilities. Some have argued that this approach has been instrumental in preventing conflict between nuclear-armed nations, including North Korea, since the 1940s.2 In a crisis, the United States could also attempt to address this threat by preempting an attack. Alternatively, the United States could attempt to intercept and disable attacking ICBMs or their warheads in flight. It is this latter approach that is the focus of this work. Public demonstration of such a defensive capability would contribute to deterring a missile attack by showing that it is unlikely to succeed.

DOI

10.32873/uno.dc.sd.15.02.1270

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Wells, James D.; Priedhorsky, William; Lamb, Frederick; and Grego, Laura (2024) "Drone-based, Boost-Phase Intercept of North Korean ICBMs," Space and Defense: Vol. 15: No. 2, Article 21.
DOI: 10.32873/uno.dc.sd.15.02.1270
Available at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/spaceanddefense/vol15/iss2/21