It was one of the worst ideas of the George W. Bush administration. In the early 2000s, the US Defence Department under Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld proposed fielding an arsenal of non-nuclear ballistic missiles meant for quickly targeting fleeting terrorist targets, such as training camps and leadership meetings. The so-called ‘Prompt Global Strike’ initiative initially envisioned replacing the nuclear warheads with conventional explosives on existing Navy Trident ballistic missiles or Minuteman missiles belonging to the Air Force.
It was a very, very bad idea, for one very simple reason. To the early-warning radars of other nuclear powers (Russia and China, especially) a non-nuclear ballistic missile launched from the United States would look just like a nuclear version -- and could spark World War III. ‘The launch of such a missile could provoke a full-scale counterattack using strategic nuclear forces,’ then-Russian President Vladimir Putin said in response to the plan.
Bush wisely shelved the Prompt Global Strike idea. Then, in 2010, the Barack Obama administration dusted it off. The new, revised, Prompt Global Strike plan features a slightly different missile system meant to differentiate it from ballistic nukes. The Obama missile design has two stages: a first-stage Minotaur rocket booster and, atop that, an unpowered, hypersonic glider with a conventional warhead. The Minotaur would be fired at a distinctive, low angle, according to government descriptions -- and that should ensure no other nation mistakes the conventional launch for a nuclear one.
‘Our focus is on boost-glide capabilities, including the Hypersonic Technology Vehicle concept,’ Maj. Gen. David Scott said. ‘We have no plans for conventionally armed sea-based missiles such as a Conventional Trident Modification or conventionally armed ICBMs.’
At the moment, the Obama Prompt Global Strike weapon is still mostly theoretical. The first firm discussion of design and testing began with the ongoing 2012 budget cycle. But most of the hardware elements are already flying, albeit separately. The Minotaur is a proven, widely-used rocket in US service. And the hypersonic glider -- capable of Mach 20 -- had its first test in the spring of 2010. That test was a failure: a control error caused the glider to oscillate and crash. The Air Force plans to test another glider this year.
While originally conceived of as a means of striking terrorist targets, the revived Prompt Global Strike system is more likely to figure in the Pentagon's growing arsenal of weaponry for countering China. Beginning this year, the Air Force shifted billions of dollars in funding toward building new missiles, drones and bombers intended to preserve US strike capability in the Pacific.
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Grant
Even if it can be made clear that it’s a non-nuclear I still imagine China and Russia aren’t going to be too happy.
AF Guy
I don’t think China has room to comment if they are going to use Carrier-Busting conventional ICBMs…..
Tango
‘….To alleviate the risk of an accidental Russian nuclear retaliation, the Air Force is developing a conventional, land-based ballistic missile that would fire into space at a much lower altitude than nuclear warheads, something that could be detected by Russian early-warning radar systems. U.S. military officials have also said they might be willing to grant access to Russian inspectors, or warn Moscow about a conventional strike on a third-party target.–Washington Post-Thursday, April 8, 2010 ”
This Prompt Global Strike serves as a deterrent to the US’ would-be adversaries forcing them to think twice before doing any ’stupid adventuristic thing!!(e.g.Pre-emptive strikes by enemy missiles on US bases, naval ships, or WMDs by terrorists, etc.)
Tango
And…again, The Air Force’s second X-51A Waverider experimental hypersonic air vehicle is set to fly at the end of this month (March), aiming for speeds in excess of Mach 6 ( Mach 20 max)! The US is trying to perfect its Prompt Global Strike system as soon as possible to deal with the increasing threats from those potential adversaries ( as a deterrent to dissuade their possible stupid risky actions!). The test will sure be successful this time!
Michael
The American’s don’t have money to feed their poor and yet have endless money for war…all empires collapse!
Johnny
@Michael You are wrong on all three count-
1- Granted there are poors in every country, USA is doing pretty damn well when it comes to material welfare. USA with ppp of $47,000+ while China has only $4200 so it is almost 1200% richer than China. So if USA is ‘poor’ then what does it makes China???
2-USA does indeed have unlimited money supply. Its currency is global tender! DUH!
3-’All empire collapse…’ Actually USA is a democratic country with elected officials who can be voted out if people don’t like their performance. Chance of uprising in a well to do country like USA is almost zero and frankly I haven’t seen a single news of ‘uprising’ in USA. Oh, by the way how is Jasmine revolution going? Has CCP imprisoned more reporters, banned more sites and deployed more forces to squash rebellion?
John Chan
Obama is desperate to win the 2nd term; he has sold his soul to the US Imperial doctrine in order to win votes from the war merchant Republicans.
I guess USA would accept a verbal apology from Russia, India, Pakistan, France, UK or China by nuking the US in retaliation, because they have mistaken those ‘Prompt Global Strike’ non-nuclear ballistic missiles as pre-emptive nuclear strike from the US.
Johnny
“Obama is desperate to win the 2nd term; he has sold his soul to the US Imperial doctrine in order to win votes from the war merchant Republicans.”
ROFL! Do you REALLY think what you have posted? Oh my god, dude you need to stop reading Xinhua. I know you think of BBC and NYtimes as ‘capitalistic propaganda’ but seriously give them a try and you will find that they are pretty open minded newspapers. This is why world wants China to have free and open media so that people can get truth in unbiased manner.
John Chan
@Johnny, truth will stand no matter of what. Is there something to hide? Why do you have to jump out to fend for BBC and NYTime out of blue? It seems like a rascal keep on saying “I didn’t do it” after he has broken something.
I merely present the views from the side that are not covered by the western media, so let the people of the world to judge the facts themselves. Anybody who does not consider opinions from all sides is himself inherently bias. You called yourself open-minded and with unbiased manner, yet you only allow one side of opinion to be presented, and do all you can to denounce and suppress opinions that do not aggress with you; your behaviour is contradictory to what you preach. Mind you denouncing and suppressing are the typical means used by the authoritarian to kill freedom of speech.
Johnny
@JohnChan Dude just look at your comment “sold his soul to war merchants…” anyone who reads that will naturally think that you have been spoon fed with hatred and propaganda. That’s why I recommended some globally respected news sources so you may look that world is not as hateful as Xinhua may have lead you to believe. You will find hundreds of news who criticize Obama/USA or any other country. Read them and you will be delighted for sure. And remember, no one says that USA hasn’t made mistake. It has and there are plenty of them. But it doesn’t mean one can spit on the face of USA.
John Chan
@Johnny, I guess you and others anti-China people are the same; 5 minutes fame in the media is the truth. No wonder the people in the West and it lackeys can be easily misled by their unscrupulous politicians and special interest groups, so they believe bombing civilians and defenceless nations are the crusade on terrorists and radicals with WMD, as well as defending democracy. Therefore people like you and other anti-China people in the West and its lackeys really believe that the China’s enhance defense is a danger to the world as packaged in ‘China Threat’ and other toxic propaganda materials being pumped out by the shameless institutions (academics, foundations, think tanks, media, etc.) in the West and its lackeys. Only the superficial people can be manipulated by specious words. In real world, people’s intention is judged by action not by words. Obama is an excellent speaker, but his actions does not match his talks, particular to his presidential Champaign promise ‘Change’.
You are ignorant by automatically assuming readers who put out different opinions from yours do not read global news sources daily.
Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events, not of words. Trust movement. ~Alfred Adler
Johnny
“Obama is an excellent speaker, but his actions does not match his talks, particular to his presidential Champaign promise ‘Change’.”
Ofcourse, that is true. He has his share of flaws and I never, ever said he or USA are completely faultless. But the way you blame EVERYTHING on them is simply spewing hate. How on the earth can you blame USA for every damn thing that happens on this planet?
“You are ignorant by automatically assuming readers who put out different opinions from yours do not read global news sources daily.”
” Obama is desperate to win the 2nd term; he has sold his soul to the US Imperial doctrine in order to win votes from the war merchant Republicans.”
So that was an opinion? I stand corrected!
harry
lol I tell you why most bad things are blamed on the USA because they rub their uncle sam’s big nose in other people’s business all the time, and most of the time they make the matter worse than it was, so you get the idea, no matter what hat uncle sam is wearing (either republican or democrates) its big fat nose doesng change and its habbit of rubbing it into other people’s business also doesnt change. the fact that 1 in 5 americans cant find america on a world map kind of said what americans are as a nation, happy slaves with no sense of the big picture that the government are only puppets of Wall Street bankers and the Military industrial complex, personally I would say those two factions have more say than Obama on many international or domestic matters. lil jonny boi you need to read between the lines =) its no good just point out whats already there =)
Johnny
@Harry Americans are SLAVE???? Buwhahaha!!! So says a Chinese with no human rights, no right of expression, no adult franchise!
PS: Good to see diplomat.com isn’t banned in China. Yet.
PPS: How is Jasmine revolution going? Has your beloved dictator dispatched Tanks yet or situation is ‘under control’?
harry
lol lil jonny boi China will change when our economy reaches mature status when we do it will be led by CCP, so that greedy private factions are not in control of our system. We Chinese are pragmatic we live in reality we know. americans live in a phony system that is that can not be changed in the forseable future. see the difference lil jonny boi =)
Johnny
@ harry “China will change when our economy reaches mature status when we do it will be led by CCP”
ROFL
Enlighten me, what exactly is the level of mature economy e.g. when PPP reaches X or when GDP reaches Y, tell me if there has a definition of ‘maturity’ when your masters will free you or is it simply a hollow promise to make taming easy.
Why didn’t you simply say that China will change ‘when pigs fly’.
This reminds me of carrot and stick. If you want to move your donkey use stick to coerce him to move or use carrot, hanging *just* ahead of head to make him move. Poor donkey can’t realize that he will never reach the carrot as it will always be out of his grasp no matter how hard he tries. In the end the he dies dreaming of carrot and the master gets himself a new donkey…..
Loic
Does anyone know the technical differences between these conventionally armed ICBMs and China’s land based Anti-ship missile?
bobbymike
Targeting a terrorist meeting was only one mission for Prompt Global Strike. A more important mission was being able to quickly target an Iranian or North Korean nuke atop a missile.
Most articles don’t mention this because they are biased and don’t want to tell the whole story as most laypersons would say, “targeting a terrorist meeting how silly for the expense.” Having a non-nuclear quick strike option to take out a missile aimed at Tokyo, “hey pretty good idea.”
Also the idea that China or Russia would automatically think it’s a nuke and strike back is just an idiotic argument. An NAS study said simply launching them from the coasts with periodic inspections that they are conventional could easily solve this.
Hey remember when B-2’s were flying along Russia southern border and flying around the Balkans? Why didn’t Russia say, “they might be loaded with nukes oh my God attack the US immediately!”
This is a poorly written article.
harry
lol I tell you why most bad things are blamed on the USA because they rub their uncle sam’s big nose in other people’s business all the time, and most of the time they make the matter worse than it was, so you get the idea, no matter what hat uncle sam is wearing (either republican or democrates) its big fat nose doesng change and its habbit of rubbing it into other people’s business also doesnt change. the fact that 1 in 5 americans cant find america on a world map kind of said what americans are as a nation, happy slaves with no sense of the big picture that the government are only puppets of Wall Street bankers and the Military industrial complex, personally I would say those two factions have more say than Obama on many international or domestic matters. lil jonny boi you need to read between the lines =) its no good just point out whats already there =)
John
Harry wrote: “lol I tell you why most bad things are blamed on the USA because they rub their uncle sam’s big nose in other people’s business all the time, and most of the time they make the matter worse than it was, so you get the idea, no matter what hat uncle sam is wearing (either republican or democrates) its big fat nose doesng change and its habbit of rubbing it into other people’s business also doesnt change.”
I think that you will find that China and the US are not that different in thier need to push thier ideas onto smaller nations. Whether its your Embassy staff pushing thier views on others, or making claims about issues that are not quite true. Whether its your businesses seeking resources around the world and making decesions on how they will be run, etc. Or the Government promoting its socialist ideals and CCTV constantly asking loaded questions about democracy.
China is not at the level of the US, but that is just that they are as far ahead in the development. I would be willing to make a wager with you that within the next 20-50 ys, China will piss off just as many people and nations as the US has over the past 50 yrs.
Large nations just like large individuals cant help themselves, sometimes they dont even realise they are doing it. The usage of words like ‘insist’, ‘have to’, ‘its in your best interest to do so’, ‘its our territory’, ‘large nations can tell small nations what to do, thats just th way of things’, ‘we are right and you are wrong’, etc.
These types of issues annoy many people and countries, plus if you just read the accounts of those who fall on the wrong side of Chia today, then you can just see how they will be treated in the future if China doesn’t become more aware of how it can be percieved and adjust its actions.
vmitchell
It looks like more of the Chinese Communist Party’s bloggers are out in full force, conveniently forgetting the 100 million Chinese killed by the ‘Great’ Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, the subjugation of the Tibetans (‘The Dalai Lama is a terrorist,’ right), and the full control of their lives the ‘great, harmonious, beneficit,’ Communist Polituboro has.
Regarding the US:
It has many strengths:
1) The US is the world’s largest manufacturer, with a gross output of nearly $5 trillion ( >$2 trillion in GDP contribution) producing 20% of all the world’s manufactured goods, a market share it has held for decades – Japan and the EU have had their shares decline precipitously, something rarely noted – also America produces one-third of all the world’s high tech goods. (manufacturing jobs have been lost in less competitve industries, yet has remained strong in higher value industries)
It is the most successful, diverse, welcoming, open, and decent nation in human history, where anyone, from china to india to europe to mexico etc can become an American (not likely to happen in China or in many other places.)
2) The US spends 35-40% of the world’s research and development money, guarenteeing future prosperity
3) At $15 trillion, it remains by far the largest economy in the world, 3x’s larger than China
4) The US is deliberative, self-critical, and self correcting, and so unlike some of those in Europe and the Middle East who incessantly criticize the US, America is dynamic and fluid, changing as it needs to–identifying problems and rapidly fixing them, remaining forever adaptable and formidable and certainly the most extreme opposite of stagnant or ‘flat footed.’
5) Its unmatched culture of leading universities, think-tanks, public debates, entrpreneurship, coupled with its domination of technology and science provides it with an extraordinary productivity and potential.
6) Despite what some may say, the US, without imposing, has the most attractive culture the world over; this is a reflection of the overt and subtle things about America and Americans which makes it so emulated and great.
7) The net worth of Americans even after the ‘Great Recession’ is some $60 trillion, a sum equivalent to the entire world’s annual output (GDP).
And regarding China:
1) It will be the first nation in human history to become old before it became rich, an enormous and techtonic shock to its already fragile social fabric
2) As of 2010, China has peaked in its labor force – every year going forward, their will be more ‘pensioners’ (although there is no safety net) than productive laborers
3) Tibet, Xinjiang are just two most restive regions – political stability is a shame there – read the most authoritative strategic analyzers today, STRATFOR, as they have repeatedly predicted massive calamities for China ahead.