Defense Technology International - March 2008 - (Page 43)

THE NET PETER A. BUXBAUM A DISARMING PROPOSAL those violations and to induce it to come back into compliance,” Mah“It is difﬁcult to deﬁne what con- ley explains. “Space systems simply The U.S. has a long-standing policy of guaranteeing all nations stitutes space weapons for arms- defy effective veriﬁcation.” An antiaccess to outer space for peaceful control purposes,” he says. “Some satellite payload could, for example, purposes. But when Russia and non-military technologies could not easily piggyback on a main satellite China proposed a treaty to disarm be excluded from the deﬁnition of without being detected. Previous U.S. governments did outer space at the United Nations’ space weapons without creating easConference on Disarmament in Ge- ily exploitable loopholes. Likewise, conduct space disarmament neneva last month, the U.S. opposed there are technologies and systems gotiations without concluding an that could destroy adversary satel- agreement. The Carter administrathe measure. U.S. officials say that existing lites that might escape the deﬁni- tion negotiated with the USSR for treaties, if followed, should pro- tion. China’s land-based anti-satellite several years in the 1970s without reaching an agreement. Carter susvide adequate security, and that test could be one such example.” pended the talks after the there are loopholes and Soviets invaded Afghanilimitations in the proposed stan in 1979. treaty. The U.S. has become In 1981, the Reagan admore militant since January ministration went back to 2007, when China destroyed the table for anti-satellite one of its own aging weathtalks. During those discuser satellites with a ballistic sions, the USSR proposed missile. a treaty that would ban The U.S. regards space as space-based weapons when a strategic domain. The miliit was the only country with tary relies on space-borne a deployed anti-satellite assets —military, civilian program. The U.S. called the and dual-use—for navigaSoviets hypocrites. tion, communications and “The same comment intelligence. might well apply today,” “A new sense of urgency Citing problems with veriﬁcation and in says Mahley, referring to has emerged since the anti- deﬁning space weapons, the U.S. opposes a China. satellite test by China,” says Russian-Chinese space-disarmament treaty. “The existence of an Donald Mahley, acting depMahley notes that during ne- opaque Chinese program compliuty assistant secretary of State and an expert on U.S. space policy. “The gotiations between the U.S. and cates discussions of any Chinese government of China claims it was the USSR in the 1970s, the Soviets proposals and reinforces U.S. opmerely a peaceful scientiﬁc experi- sought to deﬁne the space shuttle position,” he says . “It would be ment and not directed at any state. as a space weapon. “Space-based better for the Conference on DisarWe think it demonstrates China’s missile defense could be captured in mament to receive a full accountdesire to develop a weapon to at- any deﬁnition of space weapons,” ing of China’s anti-satellite test he adds. “As technology advances, and other counter-space capabilitack satellites in low Earth orbit.” One reason the U.S. opposes the the deﬁnition of space weapons is ties the country is developing. “For the U.S.,” he adds, “the disRussian-Chinese space treaty is likely to expand.” The breakout problem refers connect between China’s avowed that there are four conventions— the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, 1968 to potential space weapons not commitment to control space weapRescue Agreement, 1972 Liability banned by the treaty. “The treaty ons and the destruction of its own Convention and 1974 Registration would not ban research and devel- satellite provides a powerful reason Convention—which comprise an in- opment nor production of space- to be skeptical of China’s committernational legal regime for space based anti-satellite systems, but ment to promote [a space arms-cononly the testing and deployment trol treaty].” security. Negotiations to control nuclear “The existing space-related re- of those systems,” notes Mahley. gimes guarantee the right of all na- “This creates the potential for the and chemical weapons succeeded tions for access to, and operations existence of extensive non-tested because, according to Mahley, all in, space,” says Mahley. “Additional anti-satellite capabilities that the parties agreed that these were not legitimate military capabilities and agreements are not viable tools for proposed treaty would not ban.” Verification is fundamental to “the prospects for control provided enhancing the space security interachieving the security beneﬁts that greater benefits than any advanests of the U.S. or its allies.” Mahley names three problems underpin arms-control agreements. tage that could be derived from that prevent international treaties “Veriﬁcation refers to the ability to possessing such capabilities.” The same is not true, Mahley confrom becoming effective tools to ascertain cheating in a timely enough disarm space: deﬁnition, breakout fashion to take appropriate response cludes, of negotiating the disarmato deny the violator the beneﬁts of ment of space. I and veriﬁcation. BOEING CONCEPT AviationWeek.com/dti MARCH 2008 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 43 http://www.aviationweek.com/dti

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Defense Technology International - March 2008

Defense Technology International - March 2008 Contents Sweden Cancels SEP; Israel Launches Imaging Satellite; Geotextiles Secure Ammo Dump U.S. Navy Taps Neural Architecture Software to Assure Job Satisfaction Shrapnel-Like Pieces of Reactive Materials Increase Explosive Force of Bombs Technology is Rapidly Closing the Gap Between Sensors and Shooters Italian Army Program Aims to Develop a Fully Networked Land Force Political and Military Uncertainties Plague U.S. Defense Budget Democrats Put Pentagon on Notice Over Spending and Policy at DTAR Conference Russian Combat Vehicle Protects Tank Formations from Anti-Armor Weapons European Battlelabs Use Simulation to Verify Technologies and Stretch Defense Funds Malaysia Accelerates Fleet Modernization to meet Long-Term Goals U.S. Navy Says Composite Raiding Boat May Reduce Injuries From Wave Shocks Seeing Isn’t Believing When it Comes to Deciphering Funds for Secret Projects Advances in Sensors and Propulsion Make Torpedoes Ever More Lethal FAA is in No Rush to Approve Rules that Let UAVs Fly in Civil Airspace USS Truman Carrier Strike Group Patrols a Rough Neighborhood 24/7 U.S. says Sino-Russian Space Disarmament Plan is Riddled with Pitfalls Hyperspeed Projectile; “Sound Cloak” Hides Subs; Improving Nuclear Forensics Dutch Air Commodore Theo ten Haaf Analyzes the Impact of Rotary-Wing Operations One Soldier’s War is a Behind-the-Headlines Look at Russia’s Campaigns in Chechnya Black Budgets are Huge and Growing, and Often Conceal Amazing Failures

Defense Technology International - March 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.