Area Ballistic Missile Defense Coordinator and the Airborne Laser: Creating Ballistic Missile Defense Unity of Effort

摘要

Theater Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD) is a challenging mission area for any Theater Combatant or Joint Task Force Commander, and one he must focus on to mitigate the strategic effects this 'terror' weapon can impart. The current TBMD organization in theater is fractured by segregating responsibilities to the Commanders of the various Areas of Operations resulting in inefficient use of TBMD's scarce resources. This paper recommends an Area Ballistic Missile Defense Commander (ABMDC) be created under the Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC) to centrally plan the five elements of TBMD promoting effectiveness and synchronization of TBMD operations. In addition, MDA plans to field new TBMD systems in FY04. These systems bring new capabilities that if harnessed correctly through a near real-time Situational Awareness picture results in a synergistic effect for TBMD. This capability currently does not exist. The Airborne Laser (ABL) can perform this role without the SA. It's inherent capabilities allow it to perform TBMD Active Defense Command and Control resulting in many of the benefits of a near real-time SA.