How Space-Based Missile Defenses Could Make Us Less Safe, Not More

The Trump administration’s ideas regrading implementing space-based interceptors could have major unforeseen and dangerous consequences, especially when dealing with North Korea, China, and Russia. Regarding North Korea, the authors acknowledge that the US should maintain interceptors, but argue that it would be more effective to improve upon existing land-based interceptors. The move for space technology could also result in an unintended arms race with China and/or Russia. Neither country has an interest in allowing the US to take such a drastic position and would likely bolster their own weapons capacity in response.

Impact: An arms race is never a desirable outcome, as it is incredibly destabilizing. The move also had the potential to strike a negative chord with US allies and NATO. It would be a smarter move to push that funding into existing systems as needed to improve terrestrial efforts.