Space and Defense
Article Title
Drone-based, Boost-Phase Intercept of North Korean ICBMs
Abstract
Some have proposed that the United States deploy drone-based interceptors off the coasts of North Korea to intercept attacking ICBMs during their boost phase. Such a system would face formidable challenges in defending the entire continental United States against North Korea’s current liquid-propellant ICBMs and could not defend it against North Korea’s solid-propellant Hwasong-18 ICBM. 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.