World War 3: US missile defence deemed ‘THREAT’ to global nuclear deterrence – watchdog

Tensions between the US and its advisories, Russia and China, have been building over the last 12 months with the three superpowers determined to show off their military might. On Thursday, Washington presented its Defence Review, which suggested the US relies on nuclear deterrence to address concerns of Russian and Chinese nuclear capabilities. The document stresses more complex offensive missile threats to homeland security, such as hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV) and advanced cruise missiles.

But following the review, the Arms Control Association (ACA) released a new report on the US missile defence programme on Thursday – and urged the country to abandon defence plans such as purchasing “space-based interceptors”.

The paper, titled “Trump’s Dangerous Missile Defence Buildup” claimed the US Government should scrap the testing of SM-3 Block IIA interceptors, which are used to defend the country from ballistic missile attacks.

The watchdog report deemed President Trump’s recent statement that said the US missile defence’s function was to detect and destroy any missiles that were launched against the country, from anywhere, as “unachievable” – and threatened to “destabilise” global nuclear deterrence.

The ACA report read: “The United States should pursue wide-ranging dialogues with Russia and China on strategic stability, including the impact of missile defence, and forswear particularly destabilising steps, such as pursuing space-based interceptors.”

The paper also stated the Trump administration’s annual Missile Defence Review risked “exacerbating” concerns from China and Russia the US was targeting their nuclear deterrents.

It comes as both China and Russia participated in huge military exercises in 2018, while President Trump pursued both countries with trade sanctions and blasted their foreign policies.

The ACA report continued: “it proposes a significant and costly expansion of, US missile defences that is likely to exacerbate Russian and Chinese concerns about the threat to their strategic nuclear deterrents, undermine strategic stability and further complicate the prospects for additional nuclear arms reductions.”

The news follows Mr Trump announcing on Thursday the US planned to create a brand new “space-based” missile defence system.

The US president declared that space is the new arena for war.

In plans akin to Ronald Reagan’s failed “star wars” project in the 1980s, Trump said he wants a “layer” of sensors in space to detect missile launches.

He added that the technology would be funded by the next budget.

The sensors are one of many improvements the Pentagon wants to make to its ageing missile defence system.

source: express.co.uk