US bolsters missile defence to counter threat from North Korea

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel announced to deploy new 14 interceptors in Alaska to bolster country's missile defence system against the increasing threat from North Korea.

"We will strengthen homeland missile defense by deploying 14 additional ground-based interceptors, GBIs, at Fort Greely, Alaska. That will increase the number of deployed ground-based

interceptors from 30 to 44, including the four GBIs at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California," Hagel told reporters

yesterday.

These additional GBIs will provide a nearly 50 per cent increase in our missile defense capability, he added.

Secondly, with the support of the Japanese government, the

US is planning to deploy an additional radar in Japan, he said, adding that this will provide improved early warning and tracking of any missile launched from North Korea at the US or

Japan.

The Pentagon, he said, is also conducting environmental impact studies for a potential additional GBI site in the US. While the administration has not made any decision on whether to proceed with an additional site, conducting environmental impact studies will shorten the timeline for construction should that decision be made, he added.

Hagel said the series of steps announced by him keep the US ahead of the challenge posed by Iran and North Korea's development of longer-range ballistic missile capabilities.

The US has missile defence systems in place to protect us from limited ICBM attacks, but North Korea in particular has recently made advances in its capabilities and is engaged in a series of irresponsible and reckless provocations, Hagel said.

"Specifically, North Korea announced last month that it conducted its third nuclear test and last April displayed what

appears to be a road-mobile ICBM. It also used its Taepo Dong

II missile to put a satellite into orbit, thus demonstrating progress in its development of long-range missile technology,"

... contd.

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