Interaction of Strategic Defenses with Crisis Stability: Part III. Summary and Conclusions.

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AD Number: ADA344712
Subject Categories: MILITARY OPERATIONS, STRATEGY AND TACTICS
Corporate Author: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LAB NM
Title: Interaction of Strategic Defenses with Crisis Stability: Part III. Summary and Conclusions.
Personal Authors: West, Bo; Canavan, Gregory H.
Report Date: 01 MAR 1991
Pages: 29 PAGES
Report Number: LA-11920-MS-PT-3
Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
Monitor Acronym: XD
Monitor Series: BMDO
Descriptors: *STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE, *MILITARY CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONS, GUIDED MISSILES, CRISIS MANAGEMENT, MILITARY AIRCRAFT, INTERACTIONS, TARGETS, REDUCTION, LONG RANGE(DISTANCE), SURFACE TO SURFACE MISSILES, DEFENSE SUPPRESSION, SECOND STRIKE CAPABILITY.
Identifiers: BMDO COLLECTION, U3034
Abstract: Retaliatory deterrence is now carried primarily by SLBMs. START would shift that towards aircraft. Moderate defenses would shift retaliation strongly towards aircraft. Combined boost- and midcourse defenses would increase stability. Mutual reductions of heavy ICBMs have little impact in the absence of defenses. It appears preferable to defend current missiles in place. Unilateral deployments of defense leave crisis indices unchanged while reducing the number of weapons delivered. One-sided reductions in conjunction with defenses produce intermediate indices. Interactive reduction of defense suppression could reduce penetration to marginal levels. Coupling between second strike and target set could be resolved by altering objectives or the target set.
Limitation Code: APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Source Code: 211350
Citation Creation Date: 10 JUN 1998